The items on the agenda as Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder flies to Riyadh for Prince Abdullah talks

Improvements in player availability and recruitment are expected to be amongst the topics of discussion when Chris Wilder flies to Saudi Arabia to meet Sheffield United owner Prince Abdullah this week. The Blades' international break has begun early after the postponement of their trip to Manchester United, giving them three weeks off before their next Premier League game.

The Blades boss will spend "four or five days" in Riyadh with the Prince, to discuss United's current situation and their plans for the future. United last week confirmed a big breakthrough in their plan for a new training ground, after agreeing a deal to purchase the HSBC sports ground site in Dore, with a long-term plan to convert Shirecliffe into a category one academy.

What happened to the United side from 3-1 Owls victory 32 years ago?

But Wilder has been frustrated with a number of fitness issues since he returned to Bramall Lane in early December, with forwards including Cameron Archer, Oli McBurnie, Rhian Brewster and Ben Brereton Diaz suffering spells on the sidelines through injury. It is, Wilder has admitted, a situation United have to get right if they are to prosper in the future.

United are also looking to improve their recruitment strategies in the future, with the early departure of head of recruitment Paul Mitchell last week offering the chance to restructure another key department. United are understood to be looking towards a more analytical model for many of their behind-the-scenes operations and Wilder flies to the middle east with his side still bottom of the Premier League table despite an improved display at Bournemouth on Saturday.

Follow the latest from the Blades with The Star’s free football emails

"I'm looking forward to speaking to the owner in Riyadh. He's positive and supportive," Wilder said. "Stephen Bettis [the Blades' chief executive] has been positive and supportive as well. They understand the situation we're in; they're not liking the situation and I didn't expect them to. We're all taking that responsibility and we're all hurting.

"Regardless of whether the owner's at every game or not, he watches every game diligently and we speak frequently. He's keen to get stuff moving and planning. There's still some life in us. I've not been told we're relegated yet. We will be if we continue to play like we did for half an hour or 40 minutes against Arsenal, that'll happen pretty quickly. So that's got to be our challenge, for that not to happen.

"I'm a medium to longer-term planner because it has to happen at a football club. There are good things happening and I'm sure more things will come out off the pitch as well as more longer-term things going into next season and beyond."

The boss and owner could also discuss the Blades' contractual situation, with as many as 18 players potentially leaving in the summer on free transfers or the end of their loan spells as things stand. Wilder revealed last week that the Blades have placed contract negotiations with many of their senior players on hold while they search for a spark in their season, which sees them currently 10 points adrift of fourth-bottom Nottingham Forest with 10 games to play.