All posts by z3u9t.icu

Sunderland have been handed a injury lift over Leon Dajaku ahead of the League One play-off final at Wembley on Saturday…

What’s the latest?

Alex Neil has revealed that the 21-year-old is now in contention to make his return to the squad this weekend after working hard to get back to fitness.

He has been out of first-team action since featuring on 19 March against Lincoln and is now fighting to make his final appearance of the campaign against Wycombe on Saturday.

The Black Cats manager told the Sunderland Echo: “Leon has done a lot of work recently, so again it’s one where we’ll see where he is over the next couple of days.”He’s been working hard. We’ve got a plethora of choices now, people who have put themselves into contention. There’ll be difficult choices, but I’ll try and make the right one for what I feel the game needs.” Neil will be delighted

The former Preston boss will be delighted with the German’s potential involvement, as the youngster has the quality to be a game-changer on his day.

Dajaku, who is on loan from Union Berlin, made 22 appearances in the regular League One campaign as he showed glimpses of his ability. The winger started 14 matches and chipped in with four goals and three assists, which means that he was directly involved in a goal for every other start he managed.

This shows that he is capable of having a huge impact in the final third when he is on form. He has proven that he can score and set up goals in English football, and this is why it will be a big boost for the club to have him back fit for the play-off final this weekend.

Neil will be delighted to have another player with the potential to be a match-winner in his squad, whether that’s from the start or off the bench. Dajaku can be a useful player to call upon in a variety of scenarios – a late impact sub, a starter, or to come off the bench if one of the starting XI picks up an injury in the first half.

The 21-year-old may be playing for his future on Wearside, given that he is currently on loan, and this should give him added motivation to make a huge impact on the game at Wembley. He will surely be desperate to get out on the pitch, and hopefully Neil will give him an opportunity to make the difference against the Chairboys.

AND in other news, Sunderland handed huge injury boost ahead of play-off final, Neil surely buzzing…

Aston Villa defender Ezri Konsa is set to miss the opening weeks of the 2022/23 Premier League season after sustaining a knee injury last weekend against Crystal Palace that will keep the Englishman sidelined for 12-16 weeks.

What’s the latest?

As tweeted by Birmingham Live’s Ashley Preece following Steven Gerrard’s pre-Burnley press conference, the 24-year-old has sustained a “serious” knee injury and will miss all of pre-season as well as the opening stages of the next Premier League campaign.

The Villa boss stated: “We’re quite relieved because we thought we were dealing with an ACL” whilst also revealing that Emi Martinez picked up an injury in training and Robin Olsen could be set for his Villa debut in between the sticks.

The Villans have just two matches left this campaign, this evening’s home clash with the Clarets before a trip to Manchester City on Sunday.

However, the injury has come at an awful time for Konsa who will have to work extra hard to catch up for when the new season comes around given him missing out on pre-season training.

Bad news

Although the West Midlands outfit have been frustratingly inconsistent at times this season, Konsa has had a decent campaign this term.

The Englishman has won 64% of his duels in the Premier League whilst averaging 0.5 interceptions, 0.9 tackles and 2.8 clearances a match in 29 top-flight appearances.

However, the injury could trigger long-term issues for Konsa’s Villa tenure.

There have been reports that the 24-year-old could depart Villa Park this summer with Gerrard planning a major squad overhaul, particularly in defence with his side conceding 50 times in 36 matches this season.

Therefore, Villa may still go ahead and sign new defenders that will beat Konsa to a starting spot whilst the Englishman is now unlikely to be bought this summer given his injury and the uncertainties that could bring.

It’s a major blow for the defender and could lead to an even greater predicament that will surely have supporters gutted.

AND in other news: Signed for £7.6m, now worth £225k: AVFC had a shocker on “hiding” £28k-p/w disaster

Aston Villa midfielder Jacob Ramsey is a doubt for the Villans’ Premier League home match against Liverpool on Tuesday evening.

What’s the latest?

Speaking to the press, manager Steven Gerrard, as quoted by Birmingham Live, said: “A big doubt for Tuesday. Got a small groin problem. He [Ramsey] won’t be long. We’re hoping to get him involved in the squad at Liverpool but that’s looking ambitious right now.”

The 20-year-old missed Saturday’s 3-1 win at Burnley through the same injury and looks set to continue his spell on the sidelines.

Gerrard will be gutted

Although the former Liverpool captain will be delighted if his former club can win the Premier League title, he will undoubtedly be focused on securing a result with Aston Villa against the Reds.

Therefore, being without Ramsey once again will be a major blow for the Villa boss.

The midfielder has been seriously impressive this term, making 31 Premier League appearances during which he’s scored six goals and registered one assist.

Moreover, the Englishman had previously been subject to interest from Liverpool but recently signed a fresh deal that extends his stay at Villa Park until 2027.

Luckily for Gerrard, Marvelous Nakamba is now fully fit and could make his first start for the West Midlands outfit since suffering a knee injury in the reverse fixture against Liverpool in December.

Having picked up seven points from their last three matches, Villa will be looking to finish the season as strongly as possible with a first top half finish in over a decade still very much achievable.

Moreover, they can put a further dent in Liverpool’s title bid after Jurgen Klopp’s side dropped points on Saturday with a 1-1 draw against Tottenham at Anfield.

Villa supporters will also be keen to remind people that the last time the Merseyside outfit came to Villa Park in the league, they were hit for seven.

However, Tuesday evening will be a completely different contest and not having Ramsey available will certainly leave Gerrard gutted.

AND in other news: AVFC nearing 1st summer signing in £22.5m-rated “phenomenon”, supporters will love it

Recent reports have suggested that Aston Villa are in the race for Inter Milan defender Stefan De Vrij, with the Dutchman set to be available for as little as £15m, with just a year remaining on his existing deal.

That news comes amid suggestions that manager Steven Gerrard is eyeing a new left-sided centre-back this summer, throwing into doubt the future of England international Tyrone Mings.

Further rumours this week have also claimed that the current club captain could well be moved on in the upcoming window, with fellow defender Ezri Konsa another name potentially on the chopping block.

Such speculation illustrates a notable decline this season for Mings, in particular, with the 29-year-old having gone from starting group stage games at Euro 2020 to fearing for his place at club level, all in the space of just ten months.

Pundit Danny Mills has previously suggested that the former Bournemouth giant was “fortunate” to earn a Three Lions call up in the first place, while the 44-year-old also more recently slated the Villa man for his current displays, insisting that there “seems to be a mistake in his game somewhere.”

The statistics also prove rather damning, with the £28.8m-rated man part of a backline that has shipped 46 goals this season – the tenth-worst in the division – while he has also given away one penalty and committed one error leading to a goal in the top-flight this term.

In De Vrij then, Gerrard appears to have identified a viable alternative, with the 30-year-old offering a wealth of experience, having made 55 caps for his country as well as being a vital part of Antonio Conte’s title-winning Inter team last season.

As for this term, as the Italian giants chase a second successive Serie A title, the £116k-per-week “monster” – as he has been described by former Lazio teammate Mauricio – has caught the eye again, averaging 1.8 clearances, 1.3 tackles and one interception per game.

Not just impressive defensively – with the one-time Feyenoord man lining up on the left of a back three at the San Siro – he is also comfortable in possession, ranking in the top 5% for pass completion among centre-backs in Europe’s top five leagues.

As the current Villa boss seeks to take the ambitious club back towards the European qualification places next season, a quality upgrade such as De Vrij could be what is needed, with £80k-per-week Mings the man who must give way.

IN other news, “Destined for a move”: Journo drops exciting AVFC transfer claim, Gerrard will love it –

Having traded in a host of senior stars in favour of an immensely gifted, but inexperienced, crop of young talent, Arsenal are beginning to reap the rewards of their bold transfer policy in recent times.

While Champions League qualification is no sure thing, the Gunners remain firmly in the mix for a top-four finish heading into the final weeks of the Premier League campaign, with only rivals Tottenham Hotspur standing in their way of a return to Europe’s premier competition for the first time since 2017.

A vital part of Mikel Arteta’s emerging and exciting side has been Brazilian forward Gabriel Martinelli, with the 20-year-old belying his years with a string of impactful displays so far this season.

A relative unknown prior to his move to the Emirates, the versatile speedster had been plying his trade for fourth-tier side Ituano in his homeland when he was spotted by club scout Johnathan Vidalle, with the north Londoners eventually stumping up £6m to bring him to England in the summer of 2019.

That fee may have appeared somewhat steep at the time considering the level of football at which the then-teenager had been competing in, although the Sao Paulo-native has quickly made that figure look like an absolute bargain, such has been his impact over the past few seasons.

The youngster made almost the perfect start to life in English football with a brilliant brace on his full debut in a 5-o win over Nottingham Forest in the Carabao Cup, quickly quashing any possible doubts over whether he could acclimatise to life in a new country.

Since then, Martinelli has had his problems with injury, although has truly come of age in what’s been a fine campaign for Arteta’s men as a whole this season.

The £41k-per-week ace has registered five goals and four assists in 24 league outings so far this season, while he’s also averaged 1.4 successful dribbles and 1.1 key passes per game, showcasing his willingness and ability to make the difference in the final third.

Such dynamism has also seen him labelled “dangerous” by pundit Graeme Souness, while he has also been likened to compatriot Ronaldo – Il Fenomeno – by another legendary figure of the game, Ronaldinho.

The comparisons don’t stop there, however, with Gary Neville once stating that “he’s got a bit of Pires about him.”

That high praise brings with it a great deal of expectation, although the 5 foot 10 marksman is showing no signs of being overawed, while he still has plenty of time to grow and develop even further to truly cement himself in Arteta’s starting XI.

As for the club itself, their capture of the prodigious talent appears more astute with each passing game, while the player’s soaring market value also highlights how they simply hit the jackpot with his acquisition.

The player is currently valued at £34m, a meteoric increase from the fee he was signed for just under three years ago. On recent evidence, that value is only set to skyrocket in the coming years.

IN other news, 0 passes all game: Arsenal flop doing a “Sanogo impression” must now never start again…

Newcastle United can now boast three wins on the trot in all competitions at their beloved home patch of St James’ Park, having left it very late to secure a Premier League win yesterday against Marco Silva’s Fulham.

The Magpies brushed aside Jose Mourinho’s Benfica with ease 3-0 in the Champions League in mid-week, but on their return to the bread and butter of top-flight action, it would take a crucial strike by club captain Bruno Guimaraes right at the death to clinch a slim 2-1 win over the determined visitors from West London.

Having also been the hero who secured the Toon a 2-0 victory over Ange Postecoglou’s Nottingham Forest earlier in the month, it’s clear that the number 39 is now an undroppable part of Howe’s first-team set-up.

Why Bruno Guimaraes is undroppable

With Sandro Tonali sitting out another game, Howe would have known that he was relying on Guimaraes to be a bright spark from the centre of the park once more.

The energetic Brazilian was just that for the Tyneside giants, with his third Premier League goal of the season already seeing him pounce on a spill by Bernd Leno to send the majority of St James’ Park into raptures.

Away from the Brazilian coming up clutch again, the ever-reliable Toon captain also amassed four key passes as he attempted to get the teammates around him onto the scoresheet as well, with eight duels also won, showing off the 27-year-old’s tenacious approach in battling away for his side.

Having not missed a single Premier League game last season, and with this electric start to this campaign already under his belt, it’s surely obvious now that Guimaraes is a deserved staple of Howe’s lineups.

Guimaraes isn’t alone, arguably, in being an untouchable member of his manager’s XI, though, with this consistent top performer now making a compelling argument to be considered in the same conversations as the much-loved midfielder.

The Newcastle star who is as undroppable as Guimaraes

As was stated above, Newcastle didn’t have the smoothest ride out there against Silva’s away side.

Thankfully, Guimaraes bailed the Toon out with that vital 89th-minute effort, but if it wasn’t for Jacob Murphy’s sharp accuracy in front of goal after just 18 minutes, as well, a win could have easily slipped out of Howe and Co.’s grasp.

While Guimaraes would go on to steal all the plaudits in the second 45 minutes, his 30-year-old teammate also made sure Fulham knew he wasn’t messing about in the first half, with three shots on target in total, nearly seeing Murphy pick up more than one goal to put the contest beyond doubt.

The Toon veteran would be substituted off on the 61st minute mark as he visibly tired, but his electric first-half display alone surely means he’s a shoo-in for a start again when the Tyneside outfit travel to a troubled West Ham United side at the start of November in Premier League, having also been branded as a player that “every squad needs” by journalist Andy Sixsmith for his unwavering commitment to the club during the 2-1 win.

Minutes played

63

61

Goals scored

0

1

Assists

1

0

Touches

31

37

Accurate passes

10/15 (67%)

14/18 (78%)

Key passes

1

0

Big chances created

1

0

Successful dribbles

0

1/2

Total duels won

0/1

3/5

The table above backs up Sixsmith’s glowing words, with Murphy content at being given limited minutes, knowing he can create an opening or thunder home a goal at a moment’s notice, with just 68 touches accumulated over Newcastle’s last two games, resulting in an assist and a goal falling into his lap.

Rivals for his spot in the team in the form of Anthony Elanga don’t have the same sort of blistering numbers to hand, with the out-of-sorts Swede still yet to get off the mark for his new side after a mammoth £55m summer move.

With the dependable winger noted as being deep in the “form of his life” at the final whistle by Newcastle-based blog Mouth of the Tyne, alongside the Athletic’s Chris Waugh stating that he keeps “producing big moments”, there looks to be little wriggle room in the main XI for the likes of Elanga and Harvey Barnes, as Murphy now appears to be one of Howe’s main men next to the assured South American.

Forget Elanga & Barnes: Howe must now unleash Newcastle's "unsung hero"

Newcastle need to get back to winning ways in the Premier League as Fulham travel to SJP.

ByAngus Sinclair Oct 25, 2025

Chelsea have received plenty of stick over the last few years for their transfer policy.

While some of that criticism is certainly justified – every team gets things wrong – much of it isn’t.

While they aren’t the finished article, Enzo Maresca now has a squad full to bursting with exciting young talents, and he’s only going to get his hands more ahead of next season.

Chelsea have already secured the services of several brilliant prospects set to join the side at the end of the season, including one who has been compared to Erling Haaland of all people, and no, it’s not Joao Pedro or Liam Delap.

Players set to join Chelsea in the summer

Before getting to the player in question, it’s worth looking at some of the other exciting gems set to join Chelsea next summer, like Brazilian left-back Denner.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

The Blues agreed to sign the young Corinthians gem in March of this year, but due to him not turning 18 until next February, he has had to stay in his homeland.

Described as a “marauding LB with so much quality in the final third” by respected analyst Ben Mattinson, it remains to be seen whether he’ll be used as backup for Marc Cucurella or sent back out on loan – either way, it’s an exciting addition.

Moving up the pitch to the attack, and to a youngster who looks set to be a star for years to come, Geovany Quenda.

The West Londoners agreed a deal to sign the 18-year-old the same month they signed Denner, but while the Brazilian is thought to have cost around £11m, the Sporting CP prospect could end up costing as much as £40m.

The frankly absurd price tag – for someone his age – is a reflection of just how highly-rated the dynamic winger is, with Mattinson describing him as “relentless” and “highly unpredictable.”

Despite still being so young, the Bissau-born gem has already made 64 senior appearances for the Lisbon outfit, in which he’s scored four goals and provided 12 assists.

However, while these two players will likely need time to adapt next year, there is another attacking addition that will be arriving in the summer, someone a few years older, someone who has been compared to Haaland.

The Chelsea player compared to Haaland

For a young striker to be compared to the otherworldly goal machine that is Haaland, they’ve got to be something quite special.

Fortunately for Chelsea, Emanuel Emegha, who is set to join the squad in the summer, looks to be quite the special forward.

The comparison to the Norwegian powerhouse comes from FBref, which examines all forwards across Europe’s top five leagues, the Champions League, and the Europa League.

In this instance, it has been concluded that the Manchester City striker is the fourth most similar forward to the Dutchman.

You can gain a better understanding of how this conclusion was reached by examining some of the underlying numbers in which the pair ranked closely.

Non-Penalty G+As

1.59

1.61

Goals per Shot

0.20

0.29

Key Passes

0.80

0.71

Passes into the Final Third

0.80

0.71

Carries into Penalty Area

1.20

1.07

These metrics include key attacking statistics like non-penalty goals plus assists, goals per shot, key passes, passes into the final third, carries into the penalty area and more, all per 90.

Now, while they share some key statistical similarities with one another, nobody is going to claim that the Strasbourg player will be as prolific for the Blues as the Norwegian is for City.

However, that’s not to see he’s a slouch in front of goal either.

For example, in 29 appearances last season, the “simply phenomenal” gem, as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, scored 14 goals and provided three assists, and then this season, he’s put the ball in the back of the net four times and provided two assists in just six games.

Ultimately, while it remains to be seen how he fares in the Premier League, Chelsea look set to secure a brilliant goalscorer in Emegha.

Chelsea have signed "a future rival to Lamine Yamal" and it's not Estevao

The incredible young talent is about to sign for Chelsea and could rival both Yamal and Estevao in the future.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Oct 3, 2025

West Ham have a new preferred choice to take over from Graham Potter, with the Englishman’s dismissal appearing inevitable after a poor start to 2025/2026.

Graham Potter on the verge of leaving West Ham

Potter’s nine-month tenure in the Hammers dugout has been one to forget so far.

Under his leadership, West Ham have recorded their second-worst win percentage of the Premier League era, behind only Avram Grant, who led them to relegation in 2011.

9. Sam Allardyce

30.7%

10. Julen Lopetegui

30%

11. Gianfranco Zola

27.8%

12 Graham Potter

26.1%

13. Avram Grant

18.9%

via StatMuse

The mood around East London is already sour, with supporters poised to stage protests against West Ham’s ownership at every Saturday home game this season (The Telegraph), and Potter’s side aren’t exactly helping matters.

Their hugely frustrating opening five Premier League games are best summed up in one word — fragile.

They’ve leaked 13 goals already, more than any other Premier League side, with seven of them coming directly from corner kicks. Rivals are taking serious advantage of West Ham’s set-piece weakness right now, and that is on the manager to fix.

Whether that be Potter, or far more likely a replacement, West Ham are staring relegation in the face if they cannot plug their gaping holes – a fact not lost on critics like Wayne Rooney.

Reports suggest Potter could stay on at West Ham until after the Arsenal game, depending on how they fare at Everton, with ExWHUemployee suggesting that the hierarchy want to give any new boss the best possible chance of a good start at home to Brentford on October 20.

Out of every linked manager, Nuno Espírito Santo has been tipped as the favourite to take over from Potter at West Ham, and there are suggestions that he’s “close” to agreeing a potential deal if the latter does depart (ExWHUemployee).

However, while Nuno is most likely as things stand, insider Claret & Hugh has claimed that they’d actually prefer someone else.

West Ham would prefer Marco Silva over Nuno Espírito Santo

Indeed, that man is Fulham boss Marco Silva, who has done an excellent job at Craven Cottage with very limited resources for years.

The former Everton and Hull City manager had Fulham briefly contending for a European spot last season, with Silva’s side also making a solid start to 2025/2026 — losing just one of their opening five Premier League matches.

The Whites have won three games on the bounce in all competitions, and Silva is yet again doing very solid work in West London despite spending the least money of any Premier League side last summer.

Premier League’s lowest summer spenders

Team

Money spent

Money received

Net spend

Wolves

£121,000,000

£119,000,000

£2,000,000

Bournemouth

£120,000,000

£207,000,000

-£87,000,000

Everton

£112,000,000

£3,500,000

£108,500,000

Burnley

£111,000,000

£31,000,000

£80,000,000

Leeds

£98,000,000

£7,000,000

£91,000,000

Brentford

£85,000,000

£134,000,000

-£49,000,000

Brighton

£69,000,000

£133,000,000

-£64,000,000

Crystal Palace

£47,000,000

£63,000,000

-£16,000,000

Aston Villa

£37,500,000

£47,000,000

-£9,500,000

Fulham

£34,500,000

£15,000,000

£19,500,000

via BBC Sport

Now, C&H report that Silva is West Ham’s preferred managerial choice over Nuno, but the latter is still in pole position.

Sullivan and Karren Brady aren’t too keen on paying up to £10 million in compensation to take Silva off Fulham’s hands, meaning that Nuno is still the favourite to replace Potter as things stand.

This search for a new manager also comes amid increasing concern from West Ham shareholders over a potential drop to the Championship, so whether they move for Silva or Nuno, the board needs to get this appointment spot-on — especially amid growing unrest among the fanbase.

Newcastle United’s pursuit of Bryan Mbeumo seems to be completely off the cards now. The Magpies were strongly linked with the Brentford winger at the end of May, with The Telegraph claiming they would ‘be in pole position’ for the Cameroon star if they acted fast.

However, they didn’t act fast enough, with Manchester United nipping in before the Magpies and seemingly reading the race for Mbeumo now. Ruben Amorim’s side ‘are expected to continue prioritising the signing’ according to the Manchester Evening News, suggesting there is little to no chance the Magpies will sign their first-choice attacker now.

With that in mind, Eddie Howe’s side need to find an alternative attacker. They may well have another Premier League star linked to a summer move up North.

Newcastle’s search for a winger

There is no doubt that losing out on Mbeumo has put a real dent in the summer transfer plans at St James’ Park. However, with Champions League football returning to the club, the alternative option has bags of experience in the competition.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

It seems as though Jack Grealish is destined to leave Manchester City this summer, after a tough few months and his omission from the Club World Cup squad. Well, Football Insider suggest that the Magpies ‘are leading the race to sign’ the England international this summer.

However, they will not be the only side trying to sign Grealish this summer. Fellow Premier League outfit Everton are also at the front of the queue, whilst there will be interest from abroad.

Grealish is valued at £41m by Football Transfers, but a loan deal is the ‘most likely’ outcome.

Why Grealish would be a good signing

Make no mistake about it, the 2024/25 campaign was not an easy one for Grealish. He only played 32 times for the Citizens across all competitions, with just 20 of those games coming in the Premier League.

2025 so far has seen the England international play just seven Premier League games, featuring for just 144 minutes. He scored in that spell, too, with his goal coming against Leicester City.

It was a strike which meant a lot to the player on a personal level.

Yet, let’s not forget the quality the former Aston Villa star has. It was on show both at his boyhood club, for whom he scored 32 times and grabbed 43 assists in 213 games, and at the Etihad Stadium.

In fact, City content creator Steven Mcinerney described him as “immense” back in 2023.

One thing that Grealish can bring to the Magpies’ squad is experience in the Champions League. He was a treble winner with City in 2022/23, playing 90 minutes in all but one of the knockout games in their successful European campaign.

He managed 16 goal involvements in 50 games in that successful season for City.

That European pedigree is one reason why he makes an excellent alternative to Mbeumo, who, in his own right, would have been an excellent signing.

The Bees star managed 28 goal involvements in 38 top-flight games last term, and certainly would have added dynamism to their attack.

Yet, he seems to be off the table, and the maverick that is Grealish might be St James’ Park bound, instead. To get an idea of how suitable an alternative Grealish is, one can compare their stats from their most productive Premier League seasons, which for the City star was 2020/21, when he managed 16 goals and assists in just 26 games.

The stats on FBref stack up against each other well. That season, Grealish averaged 3.33 key passes and 7.08 progressive carries per 90 minutes, compared to 1.85 key passes and 3.43 progressive carries each game from Mbeumo this term.

Goals and assists

0.66

0.71

Key passes

3.33

1.85

Shot-creating actions

6.96

3.8

Goal-creating actions

0.82

0.53

Progressive carries

7.08

3.43

If Howe can help get Grealish back to his very best, like we saw four years ago, then he will have a sensational player on his hands. Not only will he bring flair on the ball and creative nous, but plenty of experience in the Champions League.

Losing out on Mbeumo was disappointing, but signing Grealish could be a huge catalyst for the Magpies to kick on in the 2025/26 campaign.

Better than Joao Pedro: Newcastle plotting offer for £85m "monster"

Newcastle are hoping to add more firepower to Eddie Howe’s squad this summer.

1 ByAngus Sinclair Jun 11, 2025

Sheffield United are keen to rebuild after missing out on promotion to the top-flight and have now made contact to sign a star who is thriving in the EFL, according to a report.

Sheffield United set to go again despite managerial uncertainty

The Blades will still be feeling the heartache of their EFL Championship playoff final defeat to Sunderland last month, though there is plenty of talent present at Bramall Lane as they prepare for another tilt at promotion next term.

Nevertheless, Sheffield United chiefs are said to be deliberating over whether to sack Chris Wilder following a frustrating conclusion to their bid for Premier League football, with no decision yet made as to if he will still be in charge by the time pre-season commences.

In spite of conflicting opinions, BBC reporter Nick Staton believes Wilder deserves to lead the Blades into 2025/26 and that criticism of the man at the helm is simply unwarranted.

“Wilder is United’s best ever boss. This isn’t to undermine the brilliant work of Dave Bassett, but the game’s changed. Football has never been more challenging or dominated by money.

“A manager’s job is harder than it was 30 years ago. Considerably so, in my opinion. Even in defeat, Wilder should be praised. There’s nobody better to get things going again next season.”

Sheffield United want to make "excellent" free agent their first summer signing

Sheffield United are now in a race to sign a Championship striker on a free transfer.

ByBrett Worthington Jun 5, 2025

Inevitably, time marches on and so does the focus of a particular club. Sheffield United have already identified free agent forward Emil Riis Jakobsen as a target, illustrating that plans are already in place regardless of who is in the dugout.

Continuing that theme, the Blades are now interested in bringing a versatile star to Yorkshire who only has one year remaining on his current contract.

Sheffield United make contact to sign Ethan Galbraith

According to Football Insider, Sheffield United have made contact to sign Ethan Galbraith from Leyton Orient by virtue of registering their interest in the Northern Ireland international’s services.

Swansea City are also in the mix, and it is said that the League One outfit could look to cash in on the versatile 24-year-old, who can play at right-back, in central midfield or on either flank.

Ethan Galbraith’s excellent campaign for Leyton Orient – all competitions

Appearances

51

Goals

6

Assists

8

Labelled “unbelievable” by Richie Wellens, the Manchester United academy graduate helped his side to the playoff final before Charlton Athletic saw them off, and his ability to function in several different roles has drawn attention on the market.

Earning four caps for Northern Ireland, Galbraith is wanted by at least one other unnamed second-tier club and may represent an inexpensive option due to his contractual situation.

However, you get the feeling that Wilder’s future will need to be decided before the Blades can proceed on this one. Hopefully, a conclusion on that front can be reached sooner rather than later.