Exclusive:Anel Ahmedhodzic answers Sheffield United future question after show of love from Blades supporters
Anel Ahmedhodzic answers Sheffield United future question after show of love from Blades supporters
Anel Ahmedhodzic has answered the question about his future at Sheffield United - after admitting the love he receives from Blades fans means a lot to him after a difficult period off the field. The Bosnian defender went public back in September about his difficult relationship with his dad, explaining his decision to sever ties with Mirsad and also retire from international duty.
The centre-half was unhappy about previous treatment from medical staff with Bosnia and Herzegovina, describing their decision to declare him fit to play without “proper checks” as “very unserious and amateur level.” It was around that time that the Blades fans began to rally around the 25-year-old, with the first airing of his catchy terrace anthem - to the tune of Depeche Mode’s Just Can't Get Enough - soon after away at Hull City.
The song has been a regular feature on matchdays as Ahmedhodzic’s consistent performances help to bolster the Blades’ push for an instant return to the Premier League, after last season’s painful relegation. Last Sunday’s victory at Wednesday took the Blades back level with Leeds at the top of the Championship table, with just eight games remaining after the international break.
Beyond that, Ahmedhodzic’s future is somewhat unknown. In the summer he will enter the final year of the long-term deal he signed back in 2022 when he arrived from Malmo, having recently become only the seventh player from outside the UK and Republic of Ireland to play 100 times for the Blades.
Chris Wilder, the Blades boss, admitted recently that Ahmedhodzic’s future is “definitely on the agenda,” adding his hope that there would be a “positive outcome to the talks between Anel, his agent and us.”
The defender has been linked with a move away from Bramall Lane numerous times since he arrived in South Yorkshire, while United - under the previous ownership of Prince Abdullah - appeared to signal a club policy of selling players who had entered the final year of their current deals, rather than risk them walking away for nothing in less than 12 months.
Addressing his future in an interview with The Star recently, Ahmedhodzic admitted: “We’ll see, because I have a year left and I've not really talked about it or thought about it too much. My main focus is on this season and making sure we win every game and that I do my job. Then whatever happens after, happens. As of now I've not put any focus into it. I just take it day by day.
“But I do hear the support, and the song. When the ball goes out of play or whatever, I hear it and it gives me a lot of energy. It's amazing to hear. It means very much to me, especially after a difficult period. It helps my performance, to say the least, when I hear that. It helps my confidence, which is nice.”