Huge update emerges on Chris Wilder's Sheffield United future amid sack talk | OneFootball

Chris Wilder could be set to leave Sheffield United according to fresh reports

In a dramatic turn of events, Chris Wilder could now be set to leave Sheffield United following the club's 2-1 play-off final defeat to Sunderland at Wembley last month.

Wilder's future with the Blades has been the subject of speculation in recent weeks, and it now appears to have reached a conclusion.

As first reported by journalist Miguel Delaney of The Independent, Wilder could depart Bramall Lane amid discussions over recruitment and what is only described as "other issues".

This latest reveal comes following widespread claims online regarding the outcome of Wilder's future at the club.

Wilder returned for a second stint at United in December 2023 and fell short of taking them back to the Premier League at the first time of asking after suffering relegation in the 23/24 campaign.

Chris Wilder potentially set for Sheffield United exit

The Independent's transfer news live blog [10:54AM] reports that Wilder is "on the brink" of leaving his role in charge of Sheffield United.

It's said that there are differences between Wilder and the Blades' hierarchy over recruitment and other unspecified issues, with the 57-year-old now poised to leave the club as a result.

At the end of last month, Football Insider reported that United were set to make a decision on whether to sack Wilder after missing out on promotion. An outcome either way was perhaps expected to be finalised sooner, but Wilder's second spell leading the Blades now looks to have run its course.

A subsequent update from Football Insider's Pete O'Rourke has detailed that Blades shareholders are set to undertake a meeting at some stage today, with a decision set to be made on Wilder's future.

But another fresh report, this time published by The Telegraph, suggests that the outcome of that meeting is inevitable.

As per The Telegraph, Wilder is expected to "pay the price" for failing to take the Blades back to the Premier League and the club are keen to make a new appointment before pre-season starts, and it is suggested that they are already searching for a new manager to take over from the Yorkshireman.

The popular boss penned a new long-term contract until 2028 only back in January.

AI-led Sheffield United recruitment strategy could be an issue for Chris Wilder

Given that Wilder's impending exit is believed to involve differences over recruitment, it's very plausible that he isn't too pleased with Sheffield United's increased leaning towards the AI-driven recruitment model deployed by owners COH Sport.

Used to identify low-cost and perceived low-risk signings with eventual resale value in undervalued global markets, Jefferson Caceres and Christian Nwachukwu both arrived in January from Peruvian outfit FBC Meglar and Botev Plovdiv of the Bulgarian top-flight respectively.

United have since made their third AI-driven signing in a matter of months with yesterday's acquisition of Ehije Ukaki, again from Plovdiv, with the 20-year-old penning a three-year contract in the Steel City.

On the signing, Wilder said: "Ehije is a player who has been identified through our data driven strategy and is someone we're looking forward to developing.

"He's an emerging talent, still only 20, who has enjoyed some experience of European football early in his career, so there's a base to work from."

However, supporters have speculated on how Wilder really feels about the recruitment policy, and the fanbase hold their own concerns over it too.

It's likely that Wilder, with his historic standing at the club, would want to have a big say on signings and may not be all-too-happy with acquisitions of this ilk, especially given that Caceres and Nwachukwu failed to register a single minute of Championship action in the remainder of last season.