Sheffield United are banking on hot properties to lift the club back into the Premiership - after injecting millions of pounds of enterprise money into the football operation.
The property arm of United's business empire has made a profit in excess of £6m, the Telegraph can reveal.
And the cash has been pumped into the football budget to buffer the blow of a near miss on promotion allied to the loss of a £10m parachute payment from the Premier League.
It has helped manager Kevin Blackwell spend up front in the transfer market with striker Ched Evans in the pipeline from Manchester City at around £1.5m and West Ham winger Kyel Reid joining early capture Lee Williamson.
Bristol City's former Doncaster's Rovers wideman Michael McIndoe is being tipped as a third midfield recruit.
Although United are not immune from a bumper bid for £5m rated Kyle Naughton as Aston Villa and Everton lead the chase, chairman Kevin McCabe's vision of financing football from business interests - of which property is only one stream - is taking tangible shape.
The club's accounts up to April, 2009 will show that, since their inception, United's joint property ventures have made a profit - before tax and interest - of more than £6m.
The figures result from the development of a hotel and business centre at Bramall Lane allied to the purchase and sale of a sports club in the London area. Investment in the Thames Club at Staines in Middlesex brought a profit of almost £1.3m.
Plans to increase the ground to a capacity of 44,000 - as a potential World Cup venue for 2018 - are also part of what chief executive Jason Rockett calls "a long term strategy. . . aimed at generating additional income off the field which we have already seen with the development of the hotel and the business centre."
Meanwhile, United appear to have been waging a battle of wills over the future of Matt Kilgallon, the other player likely to draw a big offer. Wigan have been strongly linked but the centre back's price tag - around £2.5m - has deterred a deal, even though it is said Kilgallon has turned down a contract extension.
Sheffield Telegraph
Sheffield United's transfer plans appear to remain intact after Birmingham City, who had led the queue of clubs chasing Matthew Kilgallon, confirmed they are poised to sign Roger Johnson.
The Star understands that Alex McLeish's side, still celebrating automatic promotion to the Premier League, viewed Kilgallon as a viable alternative to the Cardiff City centre-half.
Despite receiving two tempting offers for the combative defender, Cardiff refused to budge on their £5 million valuation of a player who rose to prominence with a series of commanding displays last season.
Kilgallon is equally highly regarded and City considered exploiting United's failure to join them in the top flight by making an offer.
But last night a fee for Johnson was finally agreed.
Wigan boss Roberto Martinez also admires Kilgallon, while Kyle Naughton is being monitored by Aston Villa and Everton.
It remains unclear whether City made anything other than tentative enquiries about Kilgallon - or whether Johnson's arrival signals an end to their interest .
But United boss Kevin Blackwell can take some comfort from the fact that United's board of directors have insisted swoops for Kyel Reid, previously of West Ham, and Manchester City striker Ched Evans do not depend on his ability to trim the squad before August 8's curtain-raiser at Middlesbrough.
A move for Reid has already been finalised in principle, but Evans is a more elusive target.
United submitted an offer, believed to be in the region of £1.5m, for his services a fortnight ago but City were unwilling to do business until a replacement was found.
Roque Santa Cruz's arrival at Eastlands could grease the wheels although City are likely to want a bigger fee.
Such a scenario could tempt Leeds manager Simon Grayson resurrect his proposal to exchange Jermaine Beckford and Billy Sharp.
Sheffield Star
Not a scooby.
