Derby County manager John Eustace issues bold 2026-27 Sheffield United prediction | OneFootball

Derby County boss John Eustace has revealed how he thinks Sheffield United will perform in the Championship next season

Derby County boss John Eustace has revealed how he thinks Sheffield United will fare in the Championship next term after their disappointing 2025-26 campaign.

The Rams were defeated 2-1 by the Blades on the final day of the season, as strikes from Tom Cannon and Sydie Peck cancelled out Sammie Szmodics' opener.

Having been in the top six for a small part of the final day of the season, Derby's defeat to Chris Wilder's men meant that they missed out on a Championship play-off place, ultimately finishing four points shy of Hull City.

However, Eustace's side still enjoyed a significantly better season than the South Yorkshire outfit, who finished just 13th in the table despite their final-day victory.

John Eustace drops 2026/27 Sheffield United prediction as Chris Wilder plots summer rebuild

Wilder knows that he has to oversee plenty of changes in the summer transfer window following Sheffield United's largely disappointing Championship campaign.

Former England striker Danny Ings is among the players set to leave Bramall Lane ahead of next season, while the Blades are open to selling midfielders Gus Hamer and Peck.

Facilitating the exits of such high-profile players could allow the South Yorkshire side to make the signings they need to launch a Championship play-off bid next term.

Speaking to the Sheffield Star, Eustace weighed in on how the Blades may perform next season: "This year, they made a change, and he (Wilder) came (back) late.

"They've got a fantastic squad of players. I'm sure he'll pick the best ones he wants to keep and then add. Sheffield United are a top Championship team. Year in, year out, they're always in the top 10 at least.

"Chris is a really experienced top manager at this level. He'll pick a squad of players that are going to be competitive, I'm sure. They're still a good team this year. I'm sure they'll add two or three more quality players to it. And they'll be challenging, for sure, for a place in the Premier League next year."

As Eustace alluded to, the Blades parted company with Wilder last summer, opting to replace him with former Hull boss Ruben Selles.

However, Selles subsequently oversaw a woeful start to the season at Bramall Lane, losing all six of the games he took charge of before he was sacked.

Wilder successfully guided Sheffield United away from potential relegation danger, but he has been unable to establish the sort of consistency required to trouble the play-off places.

The Blades' 13th-place status in the Championship this term marks their lowest finish in the second tier since they were relegated to League One in 2011.

John Eustace and Derby County also face vital summer transfer window

The size of the rebuild that Wilder wants to oversee at Bramall Lane this summer has already been well documented, but the Blades are not the only Championship club who need to have a successful transfer window ahead of next season.

Derby did well to come close to a play-off spot in their second campaign since winning promotion from League One, but they won't want to stop there.

The Rams will want to launch another top-six bid next term, but that will require adding reinforcements to their squad this summer.

Acquiring Ben Brereton Diaz and Sammie Szmodics, who have played for Derby on loan from Southampton and Ipswich Town, respectively, permanently would mark a strong start to the window for Eustace.