Sheffield United transfer state of play: January priorities, Chris Wilder striker admission, incomings timescale
Sheffield United transfer state of play including January priority clarity, Chris Wilder striker admission and key men departures stance
Sheffield United’s good run of recent form, at least up until Friday night’s setback at West Bromwich Albion, cannot be allowed to mask the fact that Chris Wilder’s squad needs some attention when the January window opens for business. The Blades chief has long since targeted the new year sales as a crucial part of his side’s season.
It will allow him a much-needed chance to put his stamp back on a squad he re-inherited in September, after the disastrous Ruben Selles experiment was brought to an end, and hopefully continue United’s rise up the Championship table after their horror start.
What are Sheffield United’s plans for the January transfer window?
Wilder is realistic in his acceptance that January is not a time for wholesale change and his presentations to the United board have centered around quality, rather than quantity. Any players who come into the building will be doing so as first-team starters or at least challengers, rather than to simply flesh out a squad.
The current talk is of three or four incomings and although every manager would always take one more player if the chance arose, that seems to be the likely plan as things stand. Right-back is one priority position, with Femi Seriki the only ‘senior’ specialist in that position and still learning his trade.
Midfield is another, with a host of injuries and unavailability recently leaving the Blades short in that key area. Oliver Arblaster needs to be carefully managed on his return from an ACL injury while Sydie Peck is now out, with a calf issue of unknown severity.
Tom Davies and Jamie Shackleton are also on the comeback trail but there was a welcome boost earlier this week with confirmation that Dutch international Jairo Riedewald had penned a new deal to stay at United for at least the rest of this season, with an option over next term as well.
How about a striker or two for Sheffield United?
Apparently not, according to boss Wilder. The arrival of Patrick Bamford has beefed up his options in that area - with his future also on the agenda ahead of the expiry of his short-team deal next month - with Tom Cannon, Tyrese Campbell and Danny Ings also finding the net in recent weeks.
“One of the things that I've looked at is that I don't think we need any additions at the top of the pitch,” Wilder said recently. “I think we've got some great competitions and some great combinations that we go to. And that is so useful and required from my point of view to mix it up.”
Who have Sheffield United been linked with so far?
Joe Rothwell is the latest name to have been mentioned in connection with a potential move to Bramall Lane in January amid uncertainty over his Rangers future, and a player rated by Leeds manager Daniel Farke as one of the best technical operators in the country would be a fine addition to the United midfield.
Wilder, we understand, also remains a staunch admirer of Leicester City man Hamza Choudhury, who is capable of playing both in the middle of the park and at right-back. The injury and availability records of players will also be assessed to avoid the chances of them sitting on the sidelines for long periods.
“We've got to get the balance right,” admitted Wilder. “We've got to get players that are reliable. We've got to get availability. It's absolutely huge for us and it's going to be a tough next 23 games when that happens and we need the options. We need the experience. We need the youth.
“We need so many qualities to win these games of football and to put a run together that we feel we can do and progress from the position that we are into a higher position. So a lot goes into the recruitment, but you never know what you're going to get.”
United have identified their targets but are not putting all their eggs in one basket, so to speak. “We have lists,” said Wilder. “We have targets but in my time as a manager, I’ve learned that you can have your numbers one, two, three and four and very, very rarely do you get your ones.
“So we’ll go all out to get the best that we can on so many different fronts, and get so many good attributes that hopefully these players that we bring in will have.”
How about outgoings at Sheffield United?
This is where things could get interesting. None of the five loan players signed in the summer have really put their stamp on things at Bramall Lane, with Nottingham Forest’s Tyler Bindon perhaps looking the most composed at centre-half recently before losing his place to the fit-again Mark McGuinness.
Louie Barry and Ben Godfrey look almost certain to return to their parent clubs if the situation arises, while Djibril Soumare will be pushed down the pecking order if United can get more midfielders through the door.
Cheio Ogbene has had a mixed time of it after arriving from Ipswich Town and is currently injured. But he has already played for two clubs this season and would not be allowed to play for a third, meaning Town would be unlikely to sanction a return should an automatic break-clause in United’s favour not exist.
“I’ve had conversations [with the owners] right the way through, from as soon as we walked through the door,” said Wilder. “They wanted my evaluation of the squad. Honest. No BS. So it was straight into it.
“’These are the players that I think take us forward. These are the players that I think need to go back. These are the players that need to go out on loan to go and get some experience. These are the players that I don't think are good enough to play at the top end of the Championship.’
“Because that's where this football club should be. Let's be right about it. So that was it. The owners are experienced business people so they've had to tough it out. Nothing's been given to them. They understand the honesty that's going to come their way from myself and Stephen [Bettis, United’s chief executive].”
Wilder revealed recently that his ideal squad size is between 25 and 27. A total of 32 players have kicked a competitive ball for United this season and with the three or four additions, that would suggest that around 10 players could move on.
Some of those will be on loan, with the likes of Louie Marsh and Ryan One the prime candidates to go and enjoy some first-team experience elsewhere in the second part of the season. But United will not leave themselves short, and so those deals may have to wait until later in the window.
There is always the prospect of interest in some of their “main actors”, to use a Wilder phrase, with Tyrese Campbell and Gus Hamer both entering the final 18 months of their deals next month. United have explored new deals with their respective agents, and the feedback will shape what happens next.
United can’t afford to have big-money players run down their deals but there will also be no rush to move them on, especially with their values dimished after inconsisent seasons so far. A big-money departure can never be ruled out but currently the plan is to keep, and add.
Will Sheffield United get their January transfer business done quickly?
It’s the million-dollar question that arises in every transfer window and the answer is invariably the same: probably not, no. It just seems to be the way with transfers and in United’s situation, often their work relies on other clubs getting their own targets in and the domino effect then beginning.
But with seven games in January, time is somewhat of the essence and that is something Wilder has already discussed with the COH Sports ownership group in their frequent meetings. “They understand that,” he admitted. If you look at the feature list in January, it's hectic and there are some huge games in there.
“When we get to that situation, we want to hit the ground running. Do I think we'll get the three or four that we need in, straightaway? No. But we're really working hard.
“The recruitment boys are really working hard on the targets and there's a lot of information being passed through. And a lot of dialogue going on with agents and potential players and potential clubs.”