Latest Sheffield United transfer rumour is not aligned with Chris Wilder's summer blueprint
Sheffield United desperately need to add experience to their squad this summer - and that is Chris Wilder’s plan.
As the transfer window shutters prepared to be lifted, the Sheffield United rumour mill is starting to gather momentum.
Ahead of the summer window officially opening for business on Monday, the latest name to be linked with a move to Bramall Lane is Rapid Wien midfielder Romeo Amane. The Blades have been credited with interest in the 23-year-old alongside Championship counterparts Birmingham City and Wrexham.
After finishing 13th in the second tier in 2025/26, United are determined to kick on next season and drag themselves back into promotion contention. An expanded play-off system will boost their chances of securing a return to the Premier League at the third time of asking.
For that ambition to become a reality, though, United are going to have to oversee a summer’s worth of solid recruitment. Too many mistakes were made in last summer’s transfer window and manager Chris Wilder is desperate to avoid a repeat of those errors.
The Blades boss, who returned to Bramall Lane last September, replacing Rubén Sellés, who lost each of his six games in charge, has long since sounded his ambition to recruit experienced heads that are well-versed in the Championship.
"I need more experience in the team,” Wilder said, speaking back in April. “The owners know it, Stephen (Bettis) knows it. We need more streetwise.
“I think if you look at Hull City and you look at their group of players and you look at our group of players and I think we all know that the future is in young players coming through from our academy and if we can pick one or two up like we have done in terms of Michael Cooper and Harrison then that's great.”
Hull, of course, won promotion to the Premier League last month, beating Middlesbrough 1-0 in a cagey Championship play-off final at Wembley. They may not have played the most exhilarating brand of football over the course of the season, but their decision to assemble a team stacked with second tier experience was a call that paid off.
“If you look at Hull City's team, it's stacked full of experience and know-how and how to win games in the Championship and we've not dealt with those moments,” Wilder added.
“The shirt becomes a little bit heavier when you don't get the results that are expected so we have to deal with that and accept that, but if you look at Hull City's team and you look at [Oli] McBurnie, [John] Lundstram, Matt Crooks, John Egan, [Lewie] Coyle and [Liam] Millar their average age has got to be 28, 29 and I think ours is 23.
“So we need to balance that up in my opinion."
Ahead of the transfer window opening next week, there is no doubt United need an injection of Championship experience this summer. As revealed by The Star, Aston Villa winger Lewis Dobbin and Jack Clarke of Ipswich Town are both understood to be on the Blades’ wish list after excelling in the second tier in the most recent campaign.
Kalvin Phillips, too, is another name on United’s radar following his recent loan spell in S2. It is experienced figures like him that Wilder rightly believes he needs to oversee a change in fortunes.
With experienced heads and players with Championship pedigree set to dominate Wilder’s thinking this summer, it makes suggestions United are in the market for the aforementioned Amane somewhat questionable.