Chris Wilder's Sheffield United contract plan as talks over key double deal near welcome conclusion

Chris Wilder is expecting contract discussions with two of Sheffield United's brightest young starlets to come to a conclusion "in the next couple of weeks" as the Blades look to address a situation that threatens to overshadow their preparations for next season and beyond. As many as 15 senior players are into the final six months of their deals at Bramall Lane.

Two of those, Oliver Arblaster and Daniel Jebbison, are currently in negotiations about extended terms, with United prioritising the futures of their brightest young talents alongside their work in the current transfer window. Andre Brooks and Antwoine Hackford have followed Will Osula in committing their futures to United this month, with United planning to move on to some of their more experienced players after the window slams shut on Thursday at 11pm.

"There are discussions ongoing so we’re expecting those in the next couple of weeks to come to a conclusion," Wilder said of talks with 20-year-old pair Jebbison and Arblaster. "They're another couple of boys who will hopefully have an impact on our group, now and going forward."

A host of other senior stars are also nearing the end of their current Bramall Lane contracts, including skipper John Egan, Greek international George Baldock and striker Oli McBurnie. Wes Foderingham appears likely to move on, after signalling his intention to Wilder to not settle for a No.2 position after the arrival of Ivo Grbic, while experienced players including Ollie Norwood, John Fleck and Chris Basham also face uncertain futures.

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"There’ll be certain players, I’ve got to say, that we won’t do anything with between now and the end of the season," Wilder added. "But there’ll be two or three that we’ll look at and we’ll see that hopefully will be part of the journey, hopefully in the Premier League and if not in the Championship.

"So those will be players that we will be attempting to tie down because I think everybody knows that the situation with the out-of-contract players is not an ideal one for the football club. It’s not that we want all the power, we know it’s a two-way thing, but we want to put ourselves in a better position than we maybe have been."

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Asked if that meant decisions had already been made on all his squad, or if they still had the opportunity to earn new deals, Wilder added: "I think there’s always time. I think there are some that have got to have a really good second part of the season, and there are some that you feel maybe time is up on that. Some you’ve got to look from an injury point of view, to see where they’re at, but there’s always time to impress and take that opportunity.

"But there’ll be measured decisions; measured decisions on availability, measured decisions on ability. Measured decisions on culture and how they fit into the group and how I want it to look, and I believe how Sheffield United supporters and the club overall want that to look as well. And we’re really confident that we can get into that situation."