Revealed: The "rigorous" recruitment process that led Sheffield United to Slavisa Jokanovic's door

United’s long search for Chris Wilder’s successor ended earlier this afternoon when the Serbian, formerly of Fulham and Watford, was unveiled after signing a three-year deal at Bramall Lane.

Jokanović’s name did not initially feature on a five-man shortlist to replace Wilder at Bramall Lane, before United performed a boardroom U-turn and made contact with Jokanović’s representatives.

A host of managers, including caretaker boss Paul Heckingbottom and Alexander Blessin of Oostende, were also considered before today’s appointment.

Revered at Fulham after building 'the Barcelona of the Championship: The lowdown on Sheffield United managerial target Slavisa Jokanovic

And Prince Abdullah said: “Over the past two months, the club has undertaken a rigorous recruitment process in our search for the right person to take Sheffield United forward.

“We’ve been keenly conscious of the importance of this decision and therefore have considered many strong candidates and have undertaken thorough due diligence.

“After an exhaustive evaluation, it was evident that Slaviša was the man we needed at the helm.

“Once we held discussions with Slaviša, it was also abundantly clear that his ambitions were aligned with those of the club.

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“It goes without saying, we are thrilled to have someone in charge with a CV which boasts a proven track record of success in England and abroad.

“We believe this appointment further underlines our commitment to ensuring success for Sheffield United.”

Jokanović led both Watford and Fulham out of the Championship during his previous spells in England, and has managed Al-Gharafa SC in Qatar since 2019.

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