Ruben Selles Could Be Reunited With Premier League Defender as Latest Rumoured Deal Could Restrict Sheffield United in Transfer Market | OneFootball

Sheffield United have been linked with two young defensive players this week, with one of them previously playing for Ruben Selles and the other playing in Bulgaria.

United are reportedly lining up a summer move for Mihail Polendakov, an 18-year-old right-back from Bulgarian club Septemvri Sofia.

Polendakov caught United’s eye after being spotted via their new scouting system which uses data provided by James Bord, who is understood to have partial ownership of Septemvri Sofia, as per Alan Nixon.

Polendakov played a total of 32 league games and provided two assists as he helped his side finish 4th in the relegation group phase of the Efbet Liga. The talented teenager has also featured prominently for the Bulgarian national team youth set-up, with him currently featuring in the under-19’s squad during international duty.

Blades New Owners to Restrict Business in Transfer Market

Ehije Success Ukaki in action for Botev Plovdiv. (Image Credit: KickoffNigeria.com)

If the Blades do go ahead and sign off on this deal then this will be the third player the club have signed from Bulgaria under the ownership of COH Sports just six months into their era. It would also mean United would have zero ESC (Exceptional Status Concession) slots available to give a player as Christian Nwachukwu, Jefferson Caceres, Ehije Success Ukaki and the new man Mihail Polendakov, would take up these slots.

Why is that an issue? Well, simply put, if the Blades were to come across a really talented player they like from a European team, they may struggle to sign him to a work permit depending on his appearances and experience for his current club.

Controversially, the owners look to have decided to use up these four ESC slots to sign players to the development team, which is all well and good if the very cheap gamble pays off in a couple of years time. But, COH Sports have now really forced the recruitment team to search for players in the British market, which is always inflated, unless they’re free agents of course.

Sheffield United to Reunite Ruben Selles With Defender

WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND – MARCH 21: Tyler Bindon (R) of New Zealand celebrates with Chris Wood and Marko Stamenić after scoring a goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 OFC Qualifier Semi Final match between New Zealand All Whites and Fiji at Sky Stadium on March 21, 2025 in Wellington, New Zealand. (Photo by Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images)

Additionally, United manager Ruben Selles is reportedly keen to reunite with another of his former talents that is 20‑year‑old New Zealand international centre‑back Tyler Bindon, per the Guardian. Currently on the books at Nottingham Forest, he came through the academy at Reading and he also played on loan there last season.

Selles knows him well, with the 6ft3 defender playing 43 games for the Spanish coach in their full season together back in 2023/24. The New Zealander netted two goals and provided an assist whilst helping to keep 12 clean sheets.

Bindon isn’t the only young Premier League centre-back to be linked with the Blades this summer as United also reportedly want 19-year-old Ashley Phillips from Tottenham Hotspur. Both of these signings would likely be loan deals, and it’d be one or the other, which makes sense as using up two loan slots on two very young centre-backs wouldn’t be the smartest of moves.