Chris Wilder must demand Sheffield United owners sanction Aston Villa deal | OneFootball

Sheffield United should be eyeing a move for Aston Villa talent Lewis Dobbin, who has caught the eye whilst on loan with Preston this season.

To say it's been a frustrating season for Sheffield United, would probably be one of the understatements of the 2025/26 season in the Championship.

Many predicted that the Blades would challenge for promotion back into the Premier League whilst under the management of Ruben Selles, but the Spaniard certainly struggled to adjust to his new surroundings at Bramall Lane.

A dismal start to the season saw Selles dismissed, and Chris Wilder returned to the club to take charge of proceedings. However, despite an improvement in some results, Sheffield United have found it tough to build any sort of notable momentum in the second tier of English football this term.

The Blades have been floating in and around the relegation zone, and haven't been much higher than mid-table this season in the Championship, and the Bramall Lane faithful have every right to be frustrated.

This year's league campaign has certainly been fizzling out, with recent defeats to the likes of Norwich City, Preston North End, Bristol City, and Wrexham only adding to the Sheffield United fans' irritation lately.

It's set to be an interesting summer ahead at Sheffield United, and you would imagine that Chris Wilder will be eager to add much-needed quality to his squad ahead of the 2026/27 campaign, where the club's supporters will be expecting a serious push for promotion back into the Premier League.

Aston Villa talent should be on Sheffield United's transfer radar

One player that Sheffield United should be targeting a deal for on a temporary basis is Lewis Dobbin, who is contracted to Aston Villa, but currently on loan with Preston North End.

Dobbin has caught the eye for all the right reasons this term with the Lancashire-based side, where he has hit double figures on his goal tally for a Preston side that have been inconsistent, particularly in the second-half of this year's league campaign.

At the age of 23, Dobbin still has plenty of room to further his development in senior football, and it seems unlikely that he'll be able to force his way into Unai Emery's plans for the Aston Villa first-team ahead of next season.

A further year out on loan could be the ideal move for all parties involved, because if Dobbin can impress again, then he'll fancy his chances of staking a claim to feature for Villa moving forward.

How would Lewis Dobbin fit in Sheffield United's team?

First and foremost, Sheffield United need a clear out of some of the first-team squad this summer, and that includes the so-called 'deadwood' that can move sizeable wages on from the club.

The left-wing area is something that needs addressing in particular, especially considering that Chiedozie Ogbene is set to return to Ipswich Town from his loan spell with the Blades in the coming months.

The performances of Tahith Chong certainly haven't impressed the majority of the Sheffield United fanbase, and so there will be questions as to whether he could benefit from a spell out of the team next term.

Dobbin is a proven talent at this level, and will be eager to prove himself out on loan if he's not quite ready to make his mark for the Aston Villa senior team. He's got pace and trickery in his locker, and that's something that Sheffield United could definitely benefit from next season, as they target promotion back into the top-flight.

The likes of Patrick Bamford and Tyrese Campbell would benefit from having a player of Dobbin's quality in their team, as he'd provide them with the service to fire the Blades up the table at the earliest of opportunities.

Sheffield United were always playing catch-up this season after a disastrous start to the campaign, and so it's crucial that Chris Wilder has a settled team heading into pre-season, as that preparation could be key to making a positive start to the new Championship season in August.

Wilder should be doing all he can to persuade the Sheffield United owners to give the green light to secure an agreement with Dobbin during the summer transfer window, and it would be a real statement of intent if they landed his signature, as he's a player that is likely to be attracting plenty of attention from other clubs after such a bright season this term.