Chris Wilder opens up on Sheffield United takeover saga after York City pre-season victory

Chris Wilder is keen to see a positive resolution in Sheffield United’s ongoing takeover saga after admitting he “wants to be a football manager again.” The Blades are approaching a crucial juncture in the ongoing takeover process, with a US-based consortium close to agreeing a deal with current owner Prince Abdullah.

A story today from Peterborough suggested that United have pulled out of the race for Harrison Burrows only led to fears amongst some Unitedites that the takeover has broken down and although that story, and those fears, are understood to be incorrect, a critical phase is rapidly approaching for the Blades with the start of the new Championship season now less than four weeks away.

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The need for progress in the transfer market was laid bare today in United’s first pre-season friendly at York City, with more than two-thirds of the squad made up of U21 players. The Blades won 2-1 against the non-league side, thanks to goals from Ryan One and Will Osula, but badly need an influx of further experience and quality ahead of the closure of the transfer window in early September.

As we reported earlier this week, Wilder has a number of transfer deals lined up and ready to go once he receives the go-ahead. United are still keen on Burrows and are also monitoring deals for Joe Worrall, of Nottingham Forest and free agent Callum O’Hare, most recently of Coventry City.

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“I’m an employee of the football club,” said Wilder of the takeover. “I just want to be a football manager and be involved in recruitment and concentrate on coaching and managing the players. I’d love that to be my full focus but out of respect I have been kept in the loop in respect of what’s been going off.

“The best way of putting it is that’s above me, that’s a question for above me. Without ducking it. I work for Sheffield United and I’ll do my very, very best every hour of every day in terms of where we’re at.

“If the takeover goes ahead because there has been speculation, we can’t duck that, then I’ll deal with that if it happens or when it happens. And if it doesn’t, we’ll work with what we’ve got and carry on working.”