5 players will leave Sheffield United in 2026 if nothing changes - Patrick Bamford will be first | OneFootball

With contracts soon expiring in the summer of 2026, here are the Sheffield United players who are set to leave Bramall Lane at the end of the season.

There are a host of Sheffield United players that are set to leave Bramall Lane in 2026.

Sheffield United have had a torrid start to their 2025/26 Championship campaign after they set their sights on going one better from their play-off final heartbreak last season against Sunderland.

With a new look to their side with the likes of experienced professionals such as Ben Mee, Ben Godfrey, and Danny Ings coming through the door at Bramall Lane, Blades fans have been disappointed with the impact of their signings after plenty of movement in the summer months.

Despite arrivals bringing a buzz to the red quaters of the Steel City, 2026 will sure be a busy time for Sheffield United, with there being many players coming to the end of their contracts, including some loanees.

Decisions will have to be made on which players get offered extensions and who will depart from South Yorkshire, and so Football League World takes a look at those Blades players who are set to depart the club as free agents in 2026 - as per Transfermarkt.

Patrick Bamford

Sheffield United's most recent signing, Patrick Bamford, is one man among the list of names whose contract is set to expire in January 2026.

Having a long-standing career throughout the EFL as well as in the top-flight with Leeds United, the 32-year-old has been brought to Bramall Lane as Chris Wilder searched for further attacking reinforcements.

Despite not making an appearance yet for the Blades, having been out of action since the start of the season, the ex-England striker is in the midst of getting up to speed in order to take on the fierce Championship once again.

It's no secret that the former Middlesbrough man is a proven goalscorer throughout the leagues, and will be wanting to replicate that form once again, having struggled to find the net in his last season for Leeds in the 2024/25 season.

Danny Ings

The ex-England international Danny Ings has had a well-renowned career in English football, most commonly in the top-flight with the likes of Liverpool, but his best form came with Burnley and Southampton.

In recent years, however, the striker's goalscoring form has significantly dropped, with the 33-year-old struggling for minutes and, as a result, not scoring more than two league goals in three consecutive seasons.

All Blades fans know the qualities that Ings possesses and since arriving from West Ham as a free agent, he has been a regular name on the teamsheet but has failed to make his mark as of yet.

Ings has been a solid forward option for the South Yorkshire club, but with Wilder having other striker options to fall back on, you'd seem to think that he has to find the back of the net soon in order to keep his place.

His contract expires at the end of June 2026.

Tom Davies

Ex-Everton midfielder Tom Davies played a bit-part role in Sheffield United's 2024/25 play-off season, as he made 16 league appearances for the club and contributed one goal and one assist.

Since then, however, he has struggled to maintain his place in the side due to injury, with plenty of competition in the engine room such as Sydie Peck, who seems a hard man to replace.

After spending seven seasons with his former club Everton on Merseyside, he introduced himself to Sheffield United as a solid midfield option in 2023, but has lacked finding any real rhythm since signing as a free agent.

Injury problems throughout his career have certainly halted Davies' progression and so too has been the case this campaign as he missed their opening seven fixtures before playing 70 minutes against Southampton at the end of September.

With his contract expiring on 30 June 2026, we could well see the 27-year-old move on to new pastures.

Ben Mee

The 36-year-old veteran Ben Mee signed for Sheffield United as a free agent from Brentford in the summer as he draws to the end of his long-standing career in English football.

The vastly experienced centre-back has brought about stability in the Blades' backline.

All English football fans will know the name Ben Mee from his 11 years at Turf Moor, and after taking the step down to the Championship, with his contract soon to expire, you'd seem to think so is Mee's time on the pitch.

Over a decade with Burnley, then subsequently moving to Brentford and Sheffield United, Mee has had a flourishing career in the EFL and Premier League that looks to be soon all but over.

Adam Davies

Welsh goalkeeper Adam Davies is another of the names on the list with his contract set to expire at the end of June 2026.

Since signing from Stoke City in 2022, Davies has always been the second choice in between the sticks and has made a total of 11 league appearances in that time, with most of his contributions coming in cup competitions.

The 33-year-old has settled for the role of being number two for quite some time now as his most successful season in recent years was the 2021/22 campaign, where he featured 12 times in the league for the Potters and picked up five clean sheets in that run.

With there being no real danger of any competition for Michael Cooper's starting spot in goal for the Blades, Davies' short time left at the club looks all but over, and Wilder may look at bringing in a keeper that can push Cooper for the number one shirt.