Former Sheffield United striker wants to bring The Blades to Minsk

Speaking exclusively to The Star from his home in Belarus, the 47-year-old admitted it is his “ambition” to see United play at Dinamo Stadium, which recently underwent a major refurbishment.

“One day, in the not so distant future, I would love to be able to bring Sheffield United to Minsk for a game,” Katchouro said. “That would be a beautiful thing to be able to arrange and hopefully it is something that is going to happen.”

“It is a fine stadium here,” he added. “And it would give people so much pleasure, myself included, to see two such fine names playing inside it.

“I would like to try and get in touch with the people in Sheffield, a city where I have so many happy memories, to see if it is something we might be able to do.”

Katchouro made nearly 100 league appearances for United after joining them from the seven time Belarusian champions in 1997, and was named as Bramall Lane’s player of the year during his first season in England.

He returned to Dinamo Minsk following a brief spell in China with Chengdu Wuniu, before spending a brief spell as the White and Blues’ manager.

United were seventh in the table, only five points behind fourth-placed Chelsea having played a game less than Frank Lampard’s side, before competition in England was suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Promoted from the Championship last term, Wilder’s squad met Internazionale at Bramall Lane as part of their preparations for what proved to be a history-making campaign. David McGoldrick fired United in front midway through the first-half before Mauro Icardi, now on loan with Paris St Germain, equalised for the Italians.

“I still watch all of United’s matches on television, it's brilliant to see them doing so well,” Katchouro said. “What the manager and the players are doing is wonderful - they play a great style of football - and it's my ambition, my dream, to see them come here to Minsk to play.”

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