Sheffield United: Chris Wilder sends transfer message to supporters and club figures | OneFootball

The Blades' summer is starting to get into gear after a shaky start.

Chris Wilder has stressed the need for patience this summer, among fans and those at the club, as Sheffield United try to put together a side that can compete in the Championship next season.

It's not been the smoothest of windows for the Blades. Following on from their disastrous 2023/24 campaign, which saw them break records on the way to a seemingly inevitable relegation, there was an understanding that things needed to change.

Many players were going to be moved on as free agents, and they were, and still are, open to offloading some contracted players that Wilder felt wouldn't be needed going forward, including some of the half-decent performers from last season, like Vinicius Souza and Anel Ahmedhodzic, to try and raise funds.

It was expected to be a summer of mostly free agent and loan signings, but these expectations are seemingly being defied. In the midst of an ongoing takeover process, the Blades have bought Kieffer Moore from AFC Bournemouth, and look set to seal the signing of Peterborough United captain Harrison Burrows for £3 million.

The work in the transfer market is not over yet, though, but the boss has said that they don't need to rush things.

Chris Wilder calls for Sheffield United patience in the transfer market

The United manager believes that the club need to be calculated in their dealings this summer, rather than trying to build a contending team as fast as possible. Although, he wasn't ready to admit that he was 100% pleased with how things had gone so far.

"I'm not [happy], because I don't think any manager ever is, but we work away as we do," said Wilder, via the Star.

"We have to be patient in getting the right ones from an attitude point of view, financially we have to be patient as well but we have got some good targets that we are after that hopefully we can secure and if we have to wait a little bit longer then we will do that to make sure they are the right ones to come through the door."

Even though he clearly wants the club to do more between now and the end of August, Wilder does seem to be pleased with the players that they've recruited so far.

"We have a lot of work to do on the training ground in terms of the shape and the integration of the players on the training ground but they've definitely given us a boost and a lift - Kieffer (Moore) and Sam McCallum I thought was excellent today and Callum (O'Hare) and even Andre Dozzell who has just come in for a few days, he was excellent as well.

Wilder's lack of happiness with where his squad is at right now is understandable. He will know that the goal is to get back to the Premier League in as quick a time as possible; whether that goal is entirely realistic this season is up for debate.

The prospective takeover at Bramall Lane has complicated things at times this summer, but with potential new ownership also comes a bit of a risk for the boss.

The tendency of most people when they take on a business from someone else is to get their own people in, putting the likes of Wilder at risk. The best way for him to avoid that is to have his side up near the top, but that may be hard with what he's currently got.

O'Hare and Moore are certainly two top players at this level, but the majority of the Blades' squad is still that of the one that failed so miserably last season.

They still need more fresh faces to make this team look like one that could challenge for the top spots.

That's going to take time. Wilder knows it and it's clear he wants to get that message out there.