Wilder "very confident" of three new Sheffield United signings

Chris Wilder has revealed Sheffield United are hoping to bring in three new signings before the end of August.
Chris WilderChris Wilder
Chris Wilder

The Blades - who failed in big-money bids for striker Martyn Waghon and QPR midfielder Luke Freeman - are in advanced talks to secure two loan deals, at least one from a Premier League club, with a view to turning it into a permanent deal in January.

Wilder needs at least one midfielder, after selling Lee Evans - on an initial loan, which will become permanent in January - to Wigan today "for a profit",

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The Blades are confident both loan deals will be completed after the weekend, and are still in the market for a striker.

Thursday saw the transfer window close for permanent deals, but EFL clubs can still secure long-term additions, by signing players on loan with an agreement to make the deal permanent in January.

"I am very confident that by the time the window closes we will have three players in the building," said Wilder.

"We are in the process of bringing in a couple of players. Unfortunately, we didn’t manage to beat the clock. It was a bit crackers yesterday, because that deal (Evans) had to go through to allow us to do a couple of other deals.

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"They won’t be involved tomorrow (at QPR), but I am very confident that one or two will be in the building for Monday, and involved Tuesday.

"If not, definitely for the weekend and the next home game.

"One is definitely a loan with a view to a permanent, because we are outside the window.

"We are also waiting to bring another forward in. We just need to pick the right one, we will not be rushed into it.

"There’s some players out there that have been punted to us that are okay, but we believe there are some players there that we have a great opportunity to get before the window closes.

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"It’s an unbelievable market. We had a bid in for Waghorn, we had a bid for Luke Freeman, but our valuation didn’t match their’s."

On the departure of midfielder Evans - who only arrived at the Lane in January - Wilder explained how the deal transpired.

He said: "The move came about Thursday morning, we had a call from Lee’s agent saying there might be a deal involving Lee.

"It’s no criticism of any player, but there was obviously an enthusiasm for something to happen.

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"We have made a profit, he goes in January, and I have got somebody else lined up to come in. We will put that profit towards a player who I think makes us a better team. That’s the decision I have made.

"An agent would say to a player there is a bit of interest, and there’s two answers. It goes one way and I don’t even get a phone call.

"It’s not a criticism of Lee, I said to him sometimes as a manager you have to wheel and deal, mix things up, and I am going to do that for the benefit of the football club."