Sheffield United player set to make surprise Bramall Lane exit | OneFootball

Sheffield United have opted against activating the one-year extension option on Ben Osborn's contract, according to Alan Nixon.

The Blades have some very big decisions to make this summer, as they weigh up who needs to be bought, sold and released, with the Blades also needing to consider offering out new contracts.

Considerable changes may be needed for United though following such a poor 2023/24 campaign, with United finishing on just 16 points in the end and breaking the unwanted record of conceding the most number of goals in a Premier League season.

They are likely to be more successful in the Championship, but they can't afford to take things for granted, especially with the Blades set to start on -2 points next season following an historical breach of EFL regulations.

Following their one-year stay in the top flight, they may be in a relatively strong financial position now and it has even been reported that they are willing to offer £8m to secure the signing of Sunderland goalkeeper Anthony Patterson.

But keeping key players will also be important, with some of their first-teamers contributing to their previous promotion-winning campaign.

One of these players is Osborn.

Ben Osborn set to leave Sheffield United

Starting his professional career at Nottingham Forest, Osborn was able to secure some extremely valuable first-team experience under his belt until he made the move to the Blades in 2019.

Moving on a three-year deal for an undisclosed fee, it was unclear whether he was going to be a regular starter, especially with the Blades preparing for life in the top tier at that point.

He hasn't exactly been one of the first names on the teamsheet throughout all of his time at Bramall Lane, but he has made 134 competitive appearances during his spell, with 26 of these coming during the 2023/24 campaign.

He made 24 league appearances last term, and although he found his game time limited during the opening months of the season, he was a more regular starter during the back end of the season.

With Osborn being a Chris Wilder signing, it looked likely that United would activate the extension option on his contract.

But the Blades have opted against this and the 29-year-old is set to walk away as a free agent.

Ben Osborn's Sheffield United departure would come as a surprise

As previously mentioned, he was signed by Wilder in the first place and could have been a good fit in his plans for next season.

This is one reason why it's a surprise that Osborn is set to be released.

He's also experienced and is a versatile option to have, even if he doesn't play every game.

You feel the Blades are making a mistake by letting go of him, because he will probably need to be replaced, especially considering how versatile he is.

Able to be an excellent squad player, it will be interesting to see where he moves to, with the player unlikely to be short of offers in the coming weeks.