Billy Sharp outlines desire to earn new Sheffield United contract after setting retirement goal - "I'd sign tomorrow"

The striker, in his 36th year, is the Blades’ top scorer this season but is approaching the expiry of the initial contract extension he signed while the Blades were still in the Premier League.

Like most of his Bramall Lane teammates, Sharp’s contract contains an option in the club’s favour to extend it by a year – and the Sheffield-born striker will do all he can to earn it.

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“I want to stay here as long as I can,” Sharp, who leads the way this season with five goals and six assists, said.

“If the club want to keep me here then great but if not, I’ll move on. I still feel fit and I said when I signed the last contract, I want to go and earn the next one.

“It’s a weird situation, waiting to be told if the club want to keep you, but I want to score goals and earn that deal. If they wanted me I’d sign it tomorrow.

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“I’ll give my all until the club tell me otherwise. Ideally I’d finish my career here, I said that the day I signed. Even when I’ve been out the team and people talked about leaving on loan, I said no because I am Sheffield United through and through. And I’m going to give it my all until the day I leave.”

Sharp, one of the highest-profile graduates of the famed United academy system, is in his third spell at the Blades after returning from Leeds in 2015.

"I said at the start of the season, it’s important to get off to a good start because we were in a habit of losing a lot of games,” he added.

"We seem to have taken a step forward and two steps back in the last couple of games. We still believe we can be in the promotion hunt but it needs to start now, building confidence and momentum going forward.”

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