Sheffield United: Chris Wilder is looking to Ryan Leonard and the loan market

Manager Chris Wilder plans to re-enter the loan market next month after admitting that negotiating temporary deals will allow him to squeeze the most out of Sheffield United's transfer budget.
Chris Wilder has outlined his plans for the transfer window: Simon Bellis/SportimageChris Wilder has outlined his plans for the transfer window: Simon Bellis/Sportimage
Chris Wilder has outlined his plans for the transfer window: Simon Bellis/Sportimage

Wilder, who confirmed talks aimed at signing Southend midfielder Ryan Leonard are on-going, revealed the Championship club’s latest recruitment drive will focus on borrowing players from top-flight teams.

“We are still in negotiations with them (Southend) above me,” he said. “I have given head of football operations Carl Shieber some names, and we have crunched numbers. From then, it’s over to the business and negotiating side (of the club) to hopefully get those players in. We are hopeful that the targets we have identified, with the number I have been given, we can go and get. I work well with Carl. I get a number and have to make that fit, then he has to make that fit with me.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Wilder, who signed Chelsea’s Jamal Blackman and Cameron Carter-Vickers from Spurs during the summer window added: “We identify and speak to players that suit us. I think it’s going to be a scenario, with the money I am given, that we are trying to do one permanent deal - and that’s been out there from Southend’s point of view - and the other two or three have got to be loans.

“You can’t squeeze permanents, or permanents that make you better, into the money you have got. I don’t want to just bring players in that are lower than what we already have, we want players to boost the group.”