How Chris Wilder plans to improve Sheffield United's goal return when new Premier League season kicks off

The Blades' remarkable 2019/20 campaign, which saw them finish eighth in the top flight in their first season since promotion, was built largely on the foundations of a solid defence. Only the top three clubs in the table - Liverpool, Manchester City and Manchester United - conceded fewer goals than United's 39, but only four other clubs in the division scored fewer than their 39 goals.

Oli McBurnie, a £20m summer signing from Swansea City, finished as United's joint-top scorer alongside Lys Mousset with six league goals, while midfielders John Lundstram and John Fleck chipped in with five apiece.

And Wilder, who has made a new striker a top priority in the shortened transfer window alongside a new right centre-half, admitted: "They have to improve their skills. Billy [Sharp] has got another year, we've got David [McGoldrick], Oli Mac and Lys.

We are stretched a little bit but of course, signing the likes of Danny Ings costs an awful amount of money.

"We've invested in young players this year and that's what everybody's after, someone who can score 20 goals like he [Ings] has done for a team that's ultimately going to finish below us.

“We'll look at and assess every aspect of the club."

Wilder's decision to namecheck Mousset was especially interesting considering the Frenchman was absent from the squad that faced Southampton last weekend. He was given permission to return to France after his partner gave birth.

On McBurnie, Wilder added: “It's his first season in the Premier League and it's been a long old season for him as it looks to a lot of the players today.

“Of course he needs to recover and go again if he wants to be an established Premier League player he's got to improve his skills, we've got to improve him.

"But I think it's been a decent effort for him for his first year in the Premier League, as it is by everybody at the football club.”

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