Sheffield United contract state of play: Daniel Jebbison hope, options plan and Chris Wilder "smile on face"

Sheffield United are set to exercise options to keep some of their out-of-contract stars next season, Chris Wilder has revealed, with striker Daniel Jebbison close to agreeing a new deal to remain at Bramall Lane. As many as 18 players could leave the Blades this summer if United drop into the Championship, a mixture of players at the end of their deals, expiring loans and Cameron Archer’s relegation release clause.

United are set to take up their option to retain Ben Osborn for at least another season, with Wilder speaking in glowing terms of late about the utility man’s value to the club, and a host of key men including George Baldock, John Egan and Oli McBurnie are approaching the final months of their current Bramall Lane deals. Although some of the players don’t have options in their deals, including striker Jebbison, some do and United are currently planning which ones to retain.

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United have been in negotiations with England youth striker Jebbison for some time, after a combination of a blood clot and injury kept him out for the entirety of this season so far, although he has returned to training amid hopes he will pull on a Blades shirt before the end of this current campaign. “Yes, there are some options to be exercised,” Wilder said.

“I’ve talked about Ben Osborn’s and we will exercise that and a couple of others we’re in the process of doing. Daniel, I believe, is very close to agreeing, if not already agreed. There’s some elements to be announced when he gets that pen in his hand, but we’re confident that we’ve tied down another young player after the likes of Andre Brooks and Will Osula, who were both good in the U21s in midweek.

“I’ve got a smile on my face in terms of the future of the football club and how the young players are progressing.”