Sheffield United Get Pre-season Underway As Ruben Selles Assesses Squad And Outlines Transfer Window Plans | OneFootball

Sheffield United are currently putting in the hard yards under the Spanish sun as preparations ramp up for their 2025/26 Championship campaign.

The Blades have been based at Girona’s training complex this week, with their first pre-season friendly against York City fast approaching. New manager Ruben Selles has wasted no time implementing his vision. The squad landed in Spain at 2pm earlier this week and were already on the pitch just a few hours later.

“The application from the boys has been brilliant, the weather has been warm, and everyone has been working really hard and so far we are satisfied. For us as staff it’s always the tactical, positional and behavioural side and then the physical is just a support for what we do. For us it’s about getting the behaviours we want from the team, starting to give now in the last part of the camp the structure we’d like to use, and trying to put those pieces together,” Selles told BBC Radio Sheffield.

The 42-year-old Spaniard has made a strong impression with his hands-on coaching style during his spells with Southampton, Reading and Hull City. And, he’s relishing the chance to work closely with his players and bring his ideas to life on the training ground at Sheffield United.

“It’s one of the best parts of this job, to go to the grass, to try and implement your ideas, to try and see the players’ ideas and how they improve your ideas, try and see the common points you have with them. The experience to be on the grass every single day is something I need and something I find the best part of my job.”

Ruben Selles on His Sheffield United Squad And Young Talents

While new additions are expected, he’s confident that the foundations of a successful Championship squad are already in place ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

He stated: “I think we have a proper squad with very talented players with different ages that are ready to go and fight and play a good season. Everyone has been very proactive in the way that they listen and the way they apply themselves. There’s going to be a period right now where we don’t need massive things, we just need to introduce more quality in a couple of positions because the boys are doing a great job and they have more than enough quality.”

“Some of the boys we can call young players: Brooks, Femi; they have played one season and they are top Championship players and I can see them being very very important for us in the season. Then we have some young talented players like in the centre-back position with Dovydas [Sausnaukus] who we promoted into the first team. He is a young promising centre-back, but he needs a lot of work and exposure with us,” Selles added.

Sheffield United to Prioritise Loan Market And Free Agents As Hamer Set For New Role

HULL, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 13: Gustavo Hamer of Sheffield United looks on during the Sky Bet Championship match between Hull City AFC and Sheffield United FC at MKM Stadium on September 13, 2024 in Hull, England. (Photo by George Wood/Getty Images)

Selles has confirmed that the club can pay fees if needed, but the focus right now is firmly on the free agent and loan markets: “We are able to [pay fees] if that’s what we need. For the moment, right now we are more focused on the market of loans and free agents, and we are monitoring the ones where we’d need to pay transfer fees.”

Selles also shed light on how he plans to utilise United’s star player Gustavo Hamer, who has been one of the bright sparks in last couple of seasons for the Blades.

“Our preference is to use him in the centre of the pitch. That doesn’t change the fact he can occupy those wide channels. But, our preference is to keep him in the middle to get him close to the ball with the midfield rotations to play to his strength which is arriving into the edge of the box with possibilities to finish the action.”

Blades Will Have to Wait A Little Longer For Return of Oliver Arblaster

SHEFFIELD, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 01: Oliver Arblaster of Sheffield United and Moussa Sissoko of Watford during the Sky Bet Championship match between Sheffield United FC and Watford FC at Bramall Lane on September 01, 2024 in Sheffield, England. (Photo by Nathan Stirk/Getty Images)

Sheffield United have been very quiet in the transfer market up to now, but they have brought in talented centre-back Tyler Bindon, on loan from Nottingham Forest for the season. Bindon, of course, came through the academy at Reading which is where Selles managed him, so the Spaniard knows all about the New Zealand international.

“Tyler, in my opinion, was the best centre-back in League 1 last season. Almost 100 games already in his professional career. The main thing I like about him is his competitiveness; he’s a winner at absolutely everything he does. He’ll just try to beat you.” He added, “In terms of his game, he’s a centre-back who is used to playing with a high line, that can move, that can command the line, that can cover in difficult circumstances, good header, good in possession, good at breaking lines with his passing or ball carrying.”

While the Blades have added an exciting young player to their defensive ranks, they will have to wait a little longer to see the return of their own outstanding academy product, Oliver Arblaster. Selles told BBC Radio Sheffield that the club are being extra cautious with the midfielder. “[Arblaster] is not going to be with us until the middle of September if everything goes to plan. We need to be careful; it’s always complicated to come back after that kind of injury.”

Selles Introduces His Coaching Staff

Finally, United’s new gaffer has given the fans a little introduction into some of the main coaching staff that he’s brought to S2.

“[Oliver-Pearce] is the main assistant manager. He was at Reading when we arrived at Reading and we had a reconfiguration because he’s a really talented young coach. He started to take more responsibility and he has been a key member for me. He wants to be organised, wants to be aggressive, wants to be strong in possession.

“[Loveland] was with me at Southampton, he was an analyst. He’s made the step to coach-analyst, and then assistant coach at Reading. He has been with me all the way through. A different character, very tactical mindset, very good at analysing situations and offering solutions, and very calm in stressed circumstances.”