Sheffield United keeping Iliman Ndiaye and Sander Berge a priority for Prince Ahdullah

The Saudi prince has been looking to sell the club but with no taker as yet after bids from Henry Mauriss and Dozy Mmobuosi failed to go through, they are looking at an austere summer as they gear up for a return to the Premier League.

Prince Abdullah says the focus will be on young loan signings and players who can strengthen the team if they drop straight back into the Championship.

But having worked hard to keep Ndiaye and Berge in January, he insists they will not try to raise funds by cashing in on the pair, in the final year of their contracts.

"We want to keep all of the squad," he said. "We don’t want to sell any star players and want to bring some players on loan.

"Whatever we bring in have to fall into two core categories. Either young and good, so they are core of our next team because we are getting older in some areas. And we want a strong team again if, God forbid, we get relegated.

"We want the loans to be starters and to give us a big chance of competing next year and not getting relegated.”

He says he is not concerned about the club's future, and will run it on the assumption he remains in charge.

“We will be ready,” he said. “I am not worried. There are things under our control and some not under our control.

“There are talks about the sale of the club and we don’t know whether that will happen. Until we sell, we have to manage the club as if we own it forever.”