Blades stall on player movement as budgets are finalised

SHEFFIELD United manager Danny Wilson has revealed that the club is ‘running on empty’ after missing out on promotion to the Championship.

The Blades have yet to sign a player since losing to Huddersfield Town in last month’s League One play-off final and are still awaiting news on possible departures.

A trio of players – Lee Williamson, Kevin McDonald, and Chris Porter – have still to accept new deals and there are no bids on the table for Harry Maguire, Matt Lowton, or Stephen Quinn – the most saleable assets.

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Wilson, who reduced the wage bill when off-loading Ched Evans, Steve Simonsen, James Beattie, Johnny Ertl, and Andy Taylor this summer, is fully supportive of the need to balance the books.

“Until we get the budgets and until we know exactly what is at our disposal – if anything – we can’t start to move,” he said. “We have to understand that (chairman) Kevin McCabe funds everything. The club has run on empty for quite a few months now and it is down to them to put money in. But it’s not a bottomless pit is it?”

Reflecting on the impasse in the transfer market, he said: “You never want your better players to have less than one year on contract but unfortunately it’s happened. I can assure you now that, in the future, it wont happen again.

“We never want to be in this position where we are losing players like we are. You have to be in control of those situations but, at this moment, the players are in control and you don’t want the tail wagging the dog.

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“We would prefer to know what is happening sooner rather than later,” he stressed. “I am not in a position where I can make approaches of my own. We have to see what is available first and that’s the frustrating thing.”

Wilson insists that neither Williamson, who is wanted by Barnsley, or McDonald have been set deadlines to resolve their futures. He also expressed ‘surprise’ that there had been no offers for Maguire, Lowton, or Quinn.

“The perfect scenario for any manager would be to keep your squad together. That’s what I want to do,” he said. “But that decision will be taken out of my hands. There has been no interest – which is surprising – but it could be as late as the end of July before we start receiving any bids. If any do come in.

“If there is an offer that everybody thinks is fair, it will be down to the player to agree or not. I want them to stay but I am also a realist and better players will always attract most attention.”

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Wycombe striker Stuart Beavon, Dundee United’s Gary Kenneth, Hibernian defender David Wotherspoon and former Leeds United fullback Ben Parker are among those being courted by the Blades. Wilson also wants to re-sign Blackpool defender Matt Hill who impressed on loan last season.

“It could well be a ‘major overhaul’ this summer,” he said. “ Not by choice but that is the circumstances that could prevail.

“In an ideal world, we would keep most of the team together but that is not being honest or practical. It’s unlikely that will happen.”

Defender Chris Morgan, meanwhile, is ‘unlikely’ to play again after failing to recover from a cruciate knee ligament injury suffered 20 months ago. The Blades captain, 35, who started his career at Barnsley moved onto the United coaching staff last summer.

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“It’s unlikely that he will start again,” said Wilson. “Only a few can be super-human and go on forever. He’s making his impact off the pitch now.”

Full-back Lescinel Jean-Francois misses the start of the season with a cruciate injury but is set to return in September.