Why Chris Wilder met with Sheffield United hierarchy over summer transfer budget on trip to Dubai

Chris Wilder has revealed he met with Sheffield United’s owners on their trip to Dubai last week, to discuss the club’s summer transfer budget.
Chris Wilder has twice led Sheffield United to promotion: Simon Bellis/SportimageChris Wilder has twice led Sheffield United to promotion: Simon Bellis/Sportimage
Chris Wilder has twice led Sheffield United to promotion: Simon Bellis/Sportimage

The Blades boss and chief executive Stephen Bettis met with Prince Abdullah and other members of the Bramall Lane board in Dubai, where United’s squad flew during their winter break.

High on the agenda was Wilder’s summer budget, with United still in the hunt for a European place with 12 games of the season remaining.

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“I should imagine the owners, who released funds in January, will know the importance of doing that again [this summer],” Wilder, who signed Sander Berge, Panos Retsos and Richairo Zivkovic towards the end of the January window, said.

“There was a long meeting in Dubai about that. We have plans and yet again, they’ll give me as much as they can to improve the team.

“We believe we did that in January and two boys are having a fight to get in the team [Retsos and Zivkovic] while the other has big competition. That’s how it has to be.

“I said to the players, my only job should be to pick the team and that’s the hardest job I’ve got. Possibly the hardest choices I’ve ever had as a football manager.

“I’ve got 22/23 fit and healthy players with a desire to get in the team. It’s a brilliant position but also a tough one, I’ll take that responsibility and try and pick the best team.”

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