Sheffield United has been instructed to sign a QPR star this summer in order to secure some “solid business.” The summer will be very busy for QPR as they get ready to hire a new manager after Marti Cifuentes was fired.
This was supposed to be a season of progress under Cifuentes, but a chaotic months has left the Hoops searching for a new manager and preparing to start again. QPR chief Christian Nourry expressed his frustration over the situation when he said in a statement: “This is naturally a disappointing situation for everyone concerned.
I fully understand and appreciate supporters’ frustrations at this time. As a club, we are working to ensure this matter is resolved as swiftly as possible so we can start preparations in earnest for the future.”
The managerial search is well underway, but QPR also have other items of business to take care of, including attempting to keep centre-back Jimmy Dunne, who is out of contract this summer and yet to pen a new deal. The 27-year-old is in talks over a new contract, but QPR face a race against time as clubs look to turn the defender’s head.
One of those teams is reportedly Sheffield United, as Chris Wilder’s team retools for what they anticipate to be another promotion attempt following their defeat in this season’s play-off final. EFL analyst Don Goodman thinks it would be smart business for the Yorkshire club to sign Dunne, who has been linked to the Blades.
According to Goodman, “I do think Jimmy Dunne to Sheffield United makes a massive amount of sense,” he told TV World. “I should assume that Chris Wilder would actually be devastated that he couldn’t take him to the club in January. The connections were solid.
“Despite Queens Park Rangers having a below-average season, Jimmy Dunne continued to impress, score lots of goals and have a massive influence on the team. Sheffield United, although they had a brilliant defensive record, it definitely got worse once Harry Souttar was injured, and I think that was one of the main reasons, in the end, that Leeds and Burnley were able to pull away. In answer to your question, Jimmy Dunne would be solid business for Chris Wilder and Sheffield United.”
Wilder on play-off heartbreak
Speaking to Sheffield United’s website after the play-off defeat, Blades boss Chris Wilder said: “It is going to take a long time to get over. We’ve all been involved in the game for a long time, through the highs and the lows and coming off as a losing football team hurt for myself and the players, but most importantly the supporters.
“The start was what we were after, it is fabulous save (from Kieffer Moore’s header), we then get our noses in front and the contentious decision will be the one from Harrison’s shot, it was a subjective decision from the referee. But like their manager said, why are we using VAR when we haven’t for 46 games plus two in the play-offs? For me, the goalkeeper isn’t saving it, it is past him.
“That gave them more energy, it was a lifeline, but we never really felt in danger, and I think the stats back that up, we just needed to be better when they opened the game up. We were too loose in transition and on the turnover and if we’d been better, we would have gone on to score a second and possibly third goal to kill the game. The goals we’ve conceded are poor ones, the first one we get caught in a poor situation and the second one comes with Anel (Ahmedhodžić) off the pitch and the middle of the park was wide open. We should have seen those added minutes out and gone to extra-time, we should have seen that moment out, it will take a lot to recover from this.
“Sunderland found their fabulous finishes when they needed to, we didn’t find ours and these things happen, but we were in the right place, in a controllable position, but our decision making just wasn’t quite good enough. If we’d have been tighter and cleaner, we would have found ourselves in the Premier League, but we’ve allowed them back into the game and they’ve enjoyed a memorable moment to win it.”
