Exclusive: Sheffield United make Chris Wilder approach as Ruben Selles patience runs thin after Ipswich Town rout

Sheffield United have sounded out former manager Chris Wilder about the possibility of a sensational return to Bramall Lane, The Star understands, after the reign of his successor Ruben Selles plunged to fresh depths last night. The Blades lost 5-0 at Ipswich Town on Friday evening, their sixth loss in six competitive games since the Spaniard’s arrival.

The timing could not have been worse for the beleaguered Selles, with representatives of the COH Sports ownership group in attendance at Portman Road to watch United get dismantled by a side who had endured their own tough start to the current campaign.

The manner of United’s capitulation was as alarming as the final scoreline and Unitedites once again made their feelings known towards manager Selles at full-time. He refused to give too much away about his thoughts on his future after the game but United’s decision to sound out Wilder suggests that patience is running thin in the Bramall Lane boardroom.

The Star has also been told separately that COH are privately considering installing a football representative above the manager, in a technical director/director of football type role. It is currently unclear whether Wilder is being considered for such a role or the manager’s job, but the prospect of a third senior spell at his boyhood club, to add to two as a player, has been raised behind the scenes at United.

Wilder returned to United during the club’s last Premier League struggle and banished the hangover of relegation to mount an instant promotion push, leading the Blades to the play-off final earlier this summer after winning 92 points.

He left his post weeks later, with COH keen to go in a different direction. But the Selles gamble has backfired, with United scoring one goal in five league games and only mustering their first shot on target away from home in the league in the second half at Ipswich.

Their start to this season is their worst in the second tier for 30 years, with their next game coming a week today at home to recently-promoted Charlton Athletic. "It doesn't matter what I believe but I will keep working until the last moment," Selles said when asked about his future after the Ipswich hammering.

"I have to take the pain and analyse what we want for the next game to try to beat the next opponent. In the first half we saw the team we want to be – we put them under pressure and won some balls. The first goal comes from an interception 70 yards from our goal. The second goal changed the game and I think we fell apart."