How Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder decided his transfer targets

Speaking as Bramall Lane’s board of directors continues the process of trying to secure the two loan signings he believes are required for United to stand a genuine chance of avoiding relegation from the Premier League, Wilder has shed light on how coaching staff compiled the list of “recommendations” presented to owner HRH Prince Abdullah bin Musa’ad bin Abdulaziz Al Saud before Christmas.

“The people we bring in, and are looking to bring in, they have to have character and they have to have commitment,” Wilder said. “Talent, that goes without saying because we want people capable of going straight into the first team and making a real difference.

“But in order to do well here, and to be able to fit in, they’ve got to be selfless as well. That’s what the group here now is - there are people in it ready to put its interests above their own. The lads here now wouldn’t have achieved what they have achieved if they weren’t like that.”

United had enjoyed an uninterrupted period of success under Wilder - twice winning promotion and then challenging for a place in Europe last season - before returning to action in September. Last weekend’s defeat by Crystal Palace was their 15th in 17 Premier League outings; a sequence of results which has left them 12 points adrift of safety at the bottom of the table and hoping tomorrow’s FA Cup third round tie at Bristol Rovers delivers their first win since July.

Although Lingard is also known to interest West Ham after falling out of favour with Manchester United, Wilder is convinced the England international will consider a temporary move to South Yorkshire in order to reinvigorate his career. Davies, the Preston North End centre-half, is set to become a free agent this summer but officials at Deepdale could consider brokering a ‘loan to buy’ arrangement in order to avoid losing him for nothing. Like United, Celtic and Udinese are monitoring Davies’ situation closely.

“Whoever comes in has to be ready to give everything,” Wilder said. “It’s that desire which makes the group here tick and that’s how they’ve had to be.”

An important message: Thank you for reading this article, one of dozens we publish every single day to provide you with the best, most up-to-date and most informative coverage of YOUR club. This depth of coverage costs, so to help us maintain the high-quality reporting that you are used to from the football team at The Star, please consider taking out a subscription to our new discounted sports-only package. You'll find all the details at https://www.thestar.co.uk/subscriptions/sports. Your support is much appreciated.