Chris Wilder on Sheffield United rebuild: 'We don't need any more young players' – but we want Kalvin Phillips back

Despite only ticking the second of those boxes, former Leeds United midfielder Kalvin Phillips scores highly enough in that respect to be on his wishlist.

Where the Blades have punched well below their weight this season, the Tigers have been the opposite, led by characters such as John Egan, John Lundstram, Oli McBurnie, Regan Slater, Lewie Coyle, Charlie Hughes, Paddy McNair and Matt Crooks.

Egan, Lundstram and McBurnie were at the heart of the team Wilder built at Bramall Lane at the end of the last decade, Slater a youngster who learnt from them. McNair and Crooks worked with Wilder at Middlesbrough. He will be looking for similar characters this summer.

Referencing the Blades team he took from League One to ninth in the Premier League, Wilder said: "It gives you confidence to construct another group.

"There's going to be big changes in the summer.

"There's going to be six players going back, loans. Contracts won't get renewed. There'll be some players that need to go out on loan – predominantly the ones signed in the summer through the AI situation.

"And then there'll be boys that won't take us forward. There's potentially going to be 15 to 20 players leave the club.

"We brought 10 players at the start of the season so I'm not scared about resetting. I'm confident of what we've done in the past.

"We've had one window at it where we tried to bring a little bit of experience in in Joe Rothwell, Jairo (Riedewald) and Pat (Bamford). They'll be better for a pre-season.

"We take confidence from the likes of John Egan, signed for £3m. We signed Oli in the Premier League, we signed Lunny (Lundstram).

"We're the fourth or fifth youngest team in the division. You look at Coventry – average age of 29. You look at their back line.

"You look at Middlesbrough's back line, you've got Matt Targett, Luke Ayling, Callum Brittain. You've got (Adilson) Malanda who's come over on a big fee from the States.

"Look at Millwall's team as well – Joe Bryan, (Zak) Sturge, Jake Cooper have been around the division.

"We don't need any more young players. We've got five young players which we've developed ourselves.

"Knowing your way around a football pitch and around the division is hugely important for the progression of the team, and to win games and to put value in our players."

So is fitness records.

"It's one thing we've been pretty proud of," said Wilder. "The medical department deserve praise and it's a reason that (first-team coach) Matt Prestridge has been with us along the journey, driving that with (head of performance) Tom Little.

"There was a period here where it wasn't so good but for the last two-and-a bit years it's been pretty good. Availability is key. It will play a big part in our recruitment."

A red card against Sheffield Wednesday, then a knee injury have continued the stop-start nature of Phillips’ career since leaving Leeds for Manchester City in 2022, restricting him to just 172 minutes plus stoppage time with the Blades. As their mid-table fate is already decided, neither he nor Sam McCallum will be rushed back on Saturday.

Despite that, Wilder is keen to bring Phillips back for another loan.

"We brought a really good pro in," said Wilder. "He was unlucky with his injury – he passed a tough medical.

“He's not played as much as he wanted to play but he’s been in around the place.

"I've just basically said to him: ‘We'd love to be an option for you, your agent and your parent club.’

“He certainly ticks the boxes in terms of personality and characteristics.

“He's been to every one of our home games and in here for 90 per cent of his rehab. He's been in player meetings he didn't have to be. That's invaluable for us.”