Sheffield United: Chris Wilder expects to hold talks with Bramall Lane's board as David Brooks heads for the exit door

Brooks is poised to complete his move to AFC Bournemouth after undergoing a medical and agreeing personal terms at the Vitality Stadium yesterday.

Although HRH Prince Abdullah bin Musa’ad bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Kevin McCabe improved Wilder’s recruitment budget last month, the 50-year-old hopes Brooks’ sale funds a further increase.

“It’s a question I’ll ask,” Wilder said. “It’s the key question for me. I’m not speaking out of turn.

“They understand that, the owners. Kevin and the Prince have been in football long enough to understand the mechanics. They know, if you lose one of your best players, you have to reinvest to keep improving.”

Wilder is expected to learn early next week how Prince Abdullah and McCabe plan to use the initial £12m downpayment Eddie Howe’s side will pay to secure Brooks’ release. Acknowledging he feared the Wales international was destined to depart when he changed agents earlier this summer, Wilder hopes his track record of success in the transfer market persuades United’s hierarchy to pump the majority back into the first team.

“People talk about the psychology of the game and tactics,” Wilder said. “For me, the biggest thing is recruitment. You have to have an eye for a player and know how he’ll fit in.

“I think we’ve maximised the budget. A couple of windows have been better than one but I feel we’ve always improved with what we’ve been given.”