With little transfer activity so far in this transfer window, Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder says his priorities have been improving the players who under-performed in 2025-26, and removing those who "sapped energy" from the squad.

But there is no doubt further signings ae needed, with Wilder three recruits short of the squad he wants.

They will go into Sunday’s season-opener at Mansfield Town in the League Cup with just veteran Matt Doherty and loanee Romelle Donovan added to their squad, whilst Jairo Riedewald has been re-signed.

The Blades are in stand-offs with Leicester City and Coventry City as they look to sign Harry Souttar and the Premier League new boys aim to prise Gustavo Hamer away. In both cases, initial bids have been rejected but the interest remains.

The budget is tighter this summer with no parachute payment and a High Court winding-up order from previous owner Prince Abdullah bin Musaed Al Saud to the men who bought the club from him in December 2024 hinting at bigger problems.

So Wilder has had to look elsewhere to improve a squad who despite all that and finishing 13th last season, will be expected to compete for promotion in the Championship.

"We'll have a go for promotion, we'll always try and over-achieve," he said. "Usually the teams at the top of the division are the teams with big wage budgets. Ours is a really healthy one. I would expect us to be competing, but I want us to be really competitive.

"The bulk of our work is working with the good players that we've got and adding some real quality to it.

TARGET: Australia World Cup defender Harry Souttar (Image: Stacy Revere/Getty Images)

placeholder image — TARGET: Australia World Cup defender Harry Souttar (Image: Stacy Revere/Getty Images)

"What did we finish last year? 13th? That ain't going to be good enough for me. It's not going to be good enough for the supporters.

"We’re basically three players off turning this team from a team which I like into a really good team. The work now is to get those three players in as early as we can.

"I think really competitive is being around the top six."

Wilder's pre-season has been about getting more out of what he has, but slimming a bloated squad.

STAND-OFF: Chris Wilder does not want to let Gustavo Hamer go, but a return to Coventry City feels highly likely (Image: Michael Regan/Getty Images)

"Everybody wants to see signings," said Wilder. "But my challenge has been to get the best out of players that didn't have good seasons last season or underachieved.

"Last season there were a lot of players that sapped a lot of energy out of the group because they knew they weren't going to be here, they knew they weren't going to be playing, and that has an effect. We've managed to move those players on.

"We have a really together group."

Without naming him, Wilder said of centre-back Souttar: "We have put an offer in for a player, as has been talked about. There is only so much we can go to on that and if that's out of our price bracket, we move on. The majority of work is loans and frees. I work within a budget."

He is resigned to losing Hamer, but only for the best price.

"There'll be an input from me, but ultimately, it's a decision made by the board to accept or not accept the offer," said Wilder.

"Gus is ambitious, there's been a bid made by one of his former clubs where the owner really likes him, the manager (Frank Lampard) and the supporters really like him.

"He's an opportunity of potentially a big increase on his salary, a length on the contract. If he wanted to stay, we would have engaged in contract negotiations,

"I don't want to lose him but if he doesn't want to engage in contract talks, there's a pretty simple answer to that. Same with Andre Brooks."

Hamer’s contract is in its last year.