Sheffield United AI data-driven signing who left in the summer secures new transfer | OneFootball

Jefferson Caceres joined the Blades in February 2025, before leaving in the summer. Now, he has a brand new club.

Sheffield United's AI-data-driven transfer model has drawn up plenty of question marks over the course of the last year, and after James Bord was revealed to be the preferred bidder at rivals Sheffield Wednesday, his company was dropped by the Blades.

Short Circuit Science, a company owned by Bord, was in charge of the way the South Yorkshire outfit sought new signings, but the success of those arrivals has not really been felt so far and both Chris Wilder and Ruben Selles did not get the most out of the system.

While Sheffield United's form has picked up in recent weeks, with their victory over the Owls on Sunday sending Wednesday down to League One for the 2026/27 campaign, there will be huge regret at how costly the system proved to be with multiple signings failing to make an impact at Bramall Lane.

Now, one of those who joined the club during the start of that failed era has departed a team close to Bord, and is perhaps the greatest proof of just how little success the Blades had with the AI-data-driven model.

Former Sheffield United player returns to Peru after difficult spell in Scotland

Jefferson Caceres was one of the first players signed through the use of AI at Sheffield United, as he made his way from Peruvian outfit FBC Melgar to S2 to help the team in their pursuit of Premier League football. However, he failed to make a single appearance.

The 23-year-old was not able to feature in the Championship as the Blades were using up all of their available work permits, and therefore the move was an incredibly strange one. He signed a contract until 2027, but in the summer he departed Yorkshire for Scotland, joining Dunfermline Athletic.

The Scottish Championship side are owned by Bord, and a move was perhaps not unexpected. Yet, his time with the Pars was extremely underwhelming as he failed to get the game time he needed. He made just 13 league appearances, picking up only two assists, while he was sent off in a 2-0 defeat to Patrick Thistle in September for hitting out against an opponent.

Now, he has rejoined Melgar in Peru, and the transfer risk that Sheffield United took on deadline day in the January transfer window in 2025 never truly paid off for the club, although he did start to show some promise with Dunfermline.

It was Selles who was part of the decision to let the winger go in August, but even if Wilder had started the campaign at Bramall Lane, it seems unlikely that the situation would have been any different.

When Caceres joined the Blades in February 2025, the current Sheffield United boss said to the club's website.

The decision to use the AI-data-driven model was one that had been relatively untested, and with its limited success, those involved with Sheffield United may just be glad to see the back of it.