Paul Heckingbottom says Sheffield United spell has has better prepared him for unknown Premier League challenge

And he believes he is much better prepared to manage in the top-flight than when he did so as caretaker manager in 2021.

Next season the Blades will be playing in the top-flight for the first time since after securing their place on Wednesday with a 2-0 win over West Bromwich Albion.

Last week the club's transfer embargo was lifted.

But there is still uncertainty now the exclusivity period for Dozy Mmobuosi's proposed takeover has reportedly expired. It is clear owner Prince Abdullah bin Musaid Al Saud does not have the financial wherewithal to fund the squad upgrades Heckingbottom will hope for.

"The Premier League's another challenge," said Heckingbottom.

"The expectation (this season) is that we should do be up there and we've dealt with it, we've done it. It's brought a different dimension.

"Next season we won't have that. Our challenge will be totally different. I haven't got a clue what it will be but what I do know is no one will be better prepared than us or as organised. We'll give it a good go.

"I can't tell you exactly what it will be because I don't know exactly what we’re going to have (in terms of squad and budget) but we have got a real good group of players and if we lose the loan players we'll replace them as best we can and go for it.

"Now I'd love you to print it more and more that the focus of the players has been top class but the focus of the (coaching) staff has probably been even better because we've hidden so much from the players."

And Heckingbottom says joining the Blades in 2020 and taking the manager's job in November 2021 have pushed him to improve.

"I've proved a few things to myself," he said. "I was unsure if I'd do it.

"When I left Hibs (in 2019) Chris (Wilder, then Sheffield United's manager) asked me to come here and do the under-23s job and at first I said no because I didn't want to come in and walk out and go to manage a club again.

"But I got offered a couple of jobs and went to speak to some owners.

"I wasn't taking jobs because I couldn't work with them and it probably said more about me than them so when Chris asked again in lockdown I said, 'Yeah, let's do it.'

"I was thinking, 'I'm not willing to bend that much, to be that person,' and I was a bit stuck in my ways.

"Working with Jack (Lester) and Macca (Stuart McCall), I have had to change and develop better skills. It's not about me bending or my principles going, it's about me being a little bit more skilled and a little bit better in managing every situation."