Exclusive: Sky pundit drops claim on Ruben Selles' Sheffield United future - Chris Wilder return would be "no surprise" | OneFootball

Sky Sports pundit Lee Hendrie spoke exclusively to FLW about Ruben Selles' Sheffield United future and a potential return for Chris Wilder...

Sheffield United have started the 2025/26 Championship campaign in disastrous fashion under new head coach Ruben Selles, who already finds himself under significant pressure after succeeding Chris Wilder by losing each of his opening five encounters in charge.

The Blades were agonisingly denied of an instant return to the Premier League by falling to the most dramatic of defeats at the hands of Sunderland in last season's play-off final at Wembley, before owners Steve Rosen and Helmy Eltoukhy made the hugely-contentious decision to relieve popular boss Wilder of his duties.

In came Selles, who had himself been controversially sacked by Championship rivals Hull City despite narrowly keeping the Tigers in the division, and the Spaniard has had big boots to fill. Thus far, the Spaniard has fallen drastically short.

Selles navigated a tricky summer transfer window, which saw prized assets such as Anel Ahmedhodzic and Vini Souza move on to Feyenoord and Wolfsburg respectively, although the Blades made more than a dozen signings by bringing the likes of Louie Barry, Tyler Bindon, Ben Godfrey, Danny Ings, Mark McGuinness, Ben Mee, Chiedozie Ogbene and Japhet Tanganga to the red-and-white quarters of the Steel City in eye-catching deals.

However, United have lost each of their opening four encounters in the Championship, while also crashing out of the EFL Cup to Birmingham City in the first round, which has already left Selles under intense pressure amid growing scrutiny and calls for the sack from disgruntled supporters.

Selles' side will return to action away to Kieran McKenna's Ipswich Town next Friday following the conclusion of the international break, and there is already a school of thought that the upcoming trip to Portman Road is a massive one as far as the 42-year-old's future at the helm is concerned.

Lee Hendrie on Sheffield United, Ruben Selles sack talk amid Chris Wilder return claim

Selles already faces a monumental battle in winning over the faith and patience of Sheffield United fans, of whom he remains vastly unpopular with after such a gruelling start to life at Bramall Lane.

The decision to sack Wilder, of course, was an unpopular one at the time, too, and it's one which has arguably backfired on the Blades considering how the season has played out to date and the uncertainty already lingering around Selles' future.

And, speaking exclusively to Football League World, Sky Sports pundit and former Aston Villa midfielder Lee Hendrie believes that Selles could well receive his marching orders if the Blades fail to pick up a result at Ipswich.

Interestingly, according to Hendrie, it would also be "no surprise" if Wilder was to return in the event of a potential exit for Selles, a move which would emphasise the extent of the Blades' mistake while potentially proving popular with fans nonetheless.

"I'm not a big fan of managers getting sacked early on," Hendrie told FLW.

"But you look at the results Sheffield United have had since Ruben Selles has come in, and you have to say 'it just hasn't worked'.

"I know that he's tried to change the identity of the football club as lots of managers do, and have tried and failed to do at Sheffield United.

"This is a football club that will be expecting to be in the promotion race this season, and if they don't win their next match it's a big call for the board because they've wanted him, sourced him out and got their man, but it's not always the case that it works.

"I don't really think they'll be giving him the time to put his stamp on it this season. I think they'll be expecting to be there or thereabouts this season given how close they came with the two-point deduction, so you might ask 'why on earth did they sack Chris Wilder?'

"I'm one of them, I felt that Wilder would've taken them up this season. I just feel that Wilder knows the club inside out, and it'll probably be no surprise if he ends up back there, but Selles has to win his next game because the fans are absolutely furious about the way the season has gone so far."

Sheffield United are living to regret Chris Wilder sack call off Ruben Selles evidence

Time remains for Selles to turn Sheffield United's fortunes around and become a success in South Yorkshire, of course, but it's very much of the essence in light of the club's nightmareish start and Hendrie has rightfully noted that the Blades' natural expectations of eclipsing last season's near-miss and competing for promotion, after parting ways with a manager who came so close to delivering exactly that, necessitates the importance of immediate results at the expense of a patient process.

Selles is a progressive, project-esque head coach whose style and methods require adaptation, which will naturally be needed after yet another squad overhaul for the Blades, although they find themselves in a position where that luxury cannot be applicable and the former Reading boss needs to start delivering - and fast.

The adaptation, however, would not have been quite so prevalent under Wilder, who is experienced in achieving promotion and would have instead brought some sense of familiarity and continuity to a club in constant transition both on and off the pitch.

Perhaps, then, a steady and experienced pair of hands was precisely what was needed to guide United through this period and give them the best chance of reacting positively to last term's heartbreak.

So far, at least, it's proving to be the wrong decision and Selles is fighting a race against time to vindicate that call, and if the Blades hierarchy are to make yet another big judgement call in the dugout before long, Wilder would have no shortage of backers in his corner.