It’s a summer of change at Bramall Lane, and Chris Wilder faces the unenviable task of re-shaping his squad following the loss of a number of experienced players.
Sheffield United were relegated from the Premier League after a dismal season which saw them finish bottom of the league on 16 points, winning just three times, and becoming the third-worst Premier League side of all time.
It’s clear that Wilder needed to make some changes this summer, and it’s been announced that the likes of Oli Norwood, Chris Basham, George Baldock, Max Lowe and Wes Foderingham will all leave the club following the expiration of their contracts.
But this summer, these players will need to be replaced, and Wilder will have his hands full over the next few months trying to find replacements.
In light of that, here are the wise additions Sheffield United ought to make this summer.
With Wes Foderingham and Jordan Amissah leaving upon the expiration of their contracts, coupled with uncertainty over Adam Davies’ future at the club with his deal set to expire, Sheffield United only have one senior goalkeeper on their books for next season.
Ivo Grbic is currently Sheffield United’s only senior goalkeeper, and it’s clear that they will need reinforcements between the sticks this summer.
Former Fulham man Marek Rodak is set to become a free agent this summer, and he could be a perfect signing for the Blades, with a wealth of Championship experience, and the battle to become first choice between him and Grbic would help drive competition and standards.
As a free agent, Sheffield United wouldn’t have to pay a fee, which is ideal, and signing Rodak would certainly be a shrewd signing, with the Slovakian international having two Championship promotions on his CV, and 111 games in the division under his belt.
Dimitrios Giannoulis
It’s evident that the Blades need a left-back this summer since Dimitrios Giannoulis, a former Norwich City left-back who spent three years at Carrow Road, is a free agent this summer.
Max Lowe was among the players released earlier this summer; he later joined Sheffield Wednesday. Yasser Larouci’s loan period with the team has over, and he has returned to France.
The only recognized senior left-back at this point is Rhys Norrington-Davies, whose future is uncertain as the club has activated his one-year contract extension. However, this doesn’t provide them with any long-term stability.
Giannoulis would be a coup for the Blades because he is a skilled operator at the championship level.
Jamal Lowe
After being released by Bournemouth this summer, Jamal Lowe became a free agent and might provide something fresh for the Blades’ offense.
After a loan period, Ben Brereton Diaz has returned to Villarreal, but the club needs more attackers since Daniel Jebbison appears likely to go and Oli McBurnie’s future is uncertain.
After assisting Bournemouth in winning the championship in 2022, Lowe has established himself as a strong option in the Championship and has a promotion to reflect this on his resume.
Even at 29, he still has a lot of life left in him, and following a string of performances at Swansea last season, he proved he is a talented player.
In total, he scored nine league goals for Swansea in 35 games, a decent return, and he showed signs that he was getting back to his best towards the end of the season.
Given his experience in the division and status as a free agent, he’d be worth a punt by Sheffield United this summer.
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