Sheffield United owners drop clear transfer hint | OneFootball

The Sheffield United board have outlined their approach to the summer transfer window following the club's play-off final defeat.

The Sheffield United board have revealed that the use of data and analytics will be crucial to their recruitment during the summer transfer window after missing out on promotion to the Premier League.

Sheffield United had looked in pole position to achieve automatic promotion, but a run of three consecutive defeats against Oxford United, Millwall and Plymouth Argyle in early April dealt a huge blow to their top two hopes, and they eventually finished the season in third place.

It seemed as though the Blades were back on track after they secured a record-breaking 6-0 aggregate victory over Bristol City in their play-off semi-final, and that set up a meeting with Sunderland in the final at Wembley on Saturday.

After making a dominant start to the game, United deservedly took the lead in the 25th minute through Tyrese Campbell, and they thought they had extended their advantage just a few minutes later, but Harrison Burrows' strike was ruled out for offside.

Despite having less of the ball, Chris Wilder's men were rarely under threat in the opening stages of the second half, but that all changed when Eliezer Mayenda equalised for the Black Cats in the 76th minute, and with extra time looming, Tommy Watson won it for the Wearside outfit in the fifth minute of stoppage time to condemn United to another season in the Championship.

Sheffield United transfer plans outlined after Sunderland play-off final defeat

The defeat at Wembley was a disappointing end to the season for Sheffield United, but as they prepare for their first full season in charge at Bramall Lane, co-owners Steve Rosen and Helmy Eltoukhy have reiterated their commitment to leading the club to promotion.

In an open letter signed by Rosen, Eltoukhy and other members of the board, the Blades' hierarchy admitted that the loss to Sunderland "really hurts", but they praised the staff and players for their "tremendous" performance throughout the season.

They also stressed that missing out on promotion will not "change our mission to bring consistent top-flight football to the city", and in pursuit of those ambitions, they hinted that the use of data and analytics could be central to the recruitment process this summer.

"Our job now as custodians of this incredible club is to regroup, reset and refocus and make sure that our setback on Saturday only serves as a catalyst to make us stronger in the future. We are all fired up to do that and confident in our plan to build a more modern and stronger club," the United board said in a letter on the club's official website.

"We will do this by continuing the forward-thinking work we have already begun to address some of the foundations at the club that underpin our ability to succeed.

"When we announced the takeover in December, we said we would begin work to modernise every single aspect of Sheffield United to make sure it is able to compete in the Premier League on a regular basis.

"And yes, we first need to get there, but once we are, we want to end the cycle of boom and bust.

"The reality is that football has never been more competitive and it is changing all the time. Therefore, we are working tirelessly to become stronger in the crucial area of recruitment. We will do this by using data and analytics far more effectively to recruit the best and brightest talent.

"We are also moving forward with our bold ambitions to transform player welfare and medical care in a market-leading way; significantly upgrade the training ground and player facilities; and continue to ensure our academy is as strong as possible.

"Sheffield United has such an exciting future, and we're confident we can unlock its great potential, starting with another promotion push next season."

Double January deal may be a glimpse into Sheffield United future

It is not the first time that Rosen and Eltoukhy have spoken about using a data-based recruitment model at Sheffield United, and as they continue to get their feet under the table at Bramall Lane, it is likely that approach will be implemented further this summer.

Data was the driving force behind the arrival of wingers Jefferson Cacares and Christian Nwachukwu for around £2 million in January, and similar signings could be on the cards over the coming months, but such a strategy does present risks, so the Blades board should continue to give Wilder some level of control over transfers.

After missing out on promotion, United could be vulnerable to losing the likes of Anel Ahmedhodzic, Vini Souza and Gustavo Hamer among others this summer, so their recruitment will need to be particularly strong if they suffer any high-profile departures.