Sheffield United plan to go in all guns blazing against Dundee United

Chris Wilder, the Sheffield United manager, says his team’s first pre-season friendly of the summer will help decide who starts next month’s Premier League game against Wolverhampton Wanderers.
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Aaron Ramsdale is expected to start the match having become the third most expensive player in United’s history following his transfer from AFC Bournemouth. But Wilder, who is combining his time north of the border with orchestrating a recruitment drive which could also see players including Reading’s John Swift and Matty Cash of Nottingham Forest join Ramsdale and fellow goalkeeper Wes Foderingham among Bramall Lane’s new arrivals, has warned the trip to Tayside marks the beginning of a rigorous selection process.

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“There’s no such thing as a guaranteed place here, there can’t be,” Wilder said. “We don’t want comfortable players. We want players who are ready to do whatever it takes, not only during games but also during the build-up when they shirts are up for grabs.”

Sheffield United face Dundee United in their first pre-season friendly of the summer: LINDSEY PARNABY/AFP via Getty ImagesSheffield United face Dundee United in their first pre-season friendly of the summer: LINDSEY PARNABY/AFP via Getty Images
Sheffield United face Dundee United in their first pre-season friendly of the summer: LINDSEY PARNABY/AFP via Getty Images

Despite finishing ninth in England’s top-flight last term, Wilder’s hopes his words reinforce a message he delivered at the end of a campaign disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic. Speaking after United just missed out on European qualification, only 15 months after being promoted from the Championship, he insisted they could not afford to rest on their laurels when PL competition resumes.

The clash with Micky Mellon’s team, who were narrowly beaten by Celtic on Saturday evening, has assumed even greater significance because of the fast turnaround between seasons - as domestic associations across Europe race to complete their respective programmes before the rescheduled 2020 European Championships.

“We’ve got to be bang on it at all times,” Wilder, who has also been linked with Club Brugges Emmanuel Dennis, Darwin Nunez of Almeria and Glen Kamara, Foderingham’s former team mate at Rangers, said. “We can’t let up for a moment because, if we do, then you get caught out in this business.”

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