How Sheffield United's contract negotiations with three key players are progressing

John Egan, Enda Stevens and John Lundstram, whose present contract expires at the end of the season, have all been told Chris Wilder wants to reward their performances by offering them new deals.

Despite acknowledging United can not offer the same salary packages as the overwhelming majority of their top-flight rivals having only been promoted last term, Wilder insisted he does not believe the trio will be tempted elsewhere when he was asked about the progress of those negotiations ahead of Sunday’s visit to Manchester City.

Stevens, who like Egan has recently established himself as a regular starter for the Republic of Ireland, confirmed as much during United’s pre-match media conference.

“I just leave that up to the people negotiating,” the wing-back said. “It’s just the process of new contracts and hopefully it gets done in the next few weeks.

“There’s a great bunch of lads here, there has been over the the three years I’ve been here.

“We’re a tight-knit group and everyone enjoys coming into work.”

Like Egan and Lundstram. Stevens’ value has soared since his arrival on a free transfer from Portsmouth in 2017. Lundstram was acquired for around £700,000 from Oxford later that summer and, after a slow start to life in South Yorkshire, has emerged as a key member of a starting eleven which began preparing for the meeting with Pep Guardiola’s side in sixth. Egan, signed from Brentford 12 months later, is known to count Lundstram’s former employers Everton among his list of admirers.

Wilder advised United’s board to approach the players’ representatives after pointing-out they received only statutory pay-rises following their climb out of the Championship. He wants their terms to reflect the roles they now enjoy both on the pitch and in the dressing room.

Revealing he has also removed himself from the negotiating process, Wilder said: “This is a reward for two or three of them in terms of what they’ve done and there’s a core that we want to keep together.

“But that goes from club to agent now. I’m staying out of it.

“The agents will always try to get the best deal. I don’t have a problem with that, so long as it is realistic and in line with where we are as a football club.”

“I don’t have the feeling that any of the players don’t see their future at Sheffield United. But as always in this day and age, they know what other players are getting in the Premier League and we’re not in a situation where we can compete with any of the clubs above us.”

Despite his diplomatic tone, that comment could be interpreted as a message to representatives currently in discussions with United that finance should not be the only thing which influences the advice they give to their clients.

“I’m sure the players do take an interest in their careers but it’s sometimes a little bit annoying that, in the past, some of them don’t,” Wilder added. “Agents are part of the connection but the players should have the biggest say. I’m a big believer in that, even though sometimes it doesn’t happen.”