Chris Wilder set to be handed a big Sheffield United boost in November - hopefully | OneFootball

=Sheffield United's club captain should make his return after what will be a year-long absence in a couple of months.

It's been a long 10 months for Ollie Arblaster, who has been forced to watch Sheffield United from the sidelines after suffering an ACL injury last November.

The 21-year-old should have been making his long-awaited return this month, too, but another injury setback meant that his return has been delayed until November at the earliest.

It's the second injury setback Arblaster has suffered in the last few months. There was some optimism that he would be returning to the side at the beginning of the campaign, but former manager Ruben Selles confirmed in July that it would not be the case.

The youngster has plenty of promise, and under Chris Wilder, who brought him back to the club from a loan spell at Port Vale to make his Premier League debut as a 20-year-old in March 2024, there's excitement at the fact that the returning Blades boss can get the best out of Arblaster.

That is, when he does finally make his return. There is an obvious need for caution in such a serious injury, but Blades fans will be understandably waiting impatiently for the 21-year-old to come back.

Ollie Arblaster can excel once more under Chris Wilder

It's clear that Chris Wilder is a big fan of Ollie Arblaster and sees plenty of potential in the 21-year-old.

The central midfielder was plucked out of his loan spell at League One side Port Vale and thrust straight into the Premier League in the latter half of the 2023/24 campaign. There was little pressure, as the Blades were already doomed to relegation by then, but Arblaster started the final eleven games, two of which were as captain.

Then, for the first few months of the 2024/25 Championship season, Arblaster was one of the first names on the team sheet, starting 11 of the opening 15 games of the campaign pre-ACL injury, and was the captain whenever Jack Robinson wasn't involved from the off.

The Blades were still able to maintain promotion form across the whole season, and whilst the 21-year-old's injury paved the way for Sydie Peck to make a name for himself in the Sheffield United side, many argue that, if Arblaster was available for the whole season, Chris Wilder's side wouldn't have needed to go through the play-offs at all last year.

The Sheffield United academy graduate came on leaps and bounds under Wilder, and everything points to him doing the same once more once he makes his return.

Sheffield United are desperate for midfield improvement - Ollie Arblaster provides that

Vini Souza was one of the Championship's prime enforcers last season, and the Blades have yet to replace the Brazilian's class after he left for Wolfsburg during the summer.

Both Souza and Arblaster play completely different roles in the Sheffield United midfield, but they both provide quality, something which has depleted massively in the middle of the park at Bramall Lane over the summer with Souza's departure and Arblaster's return delays.

The prospective November return of the 21-year-old may force Sydie Peck to a more defensive role, but ultimately, the box-to-box abilities and calmness in possession that Arblaster possesses are exactly what Sheffield United need, not to mention the leadership values he brings at such a young age.

The young midfielder is clearly vital to how Chris Wilder wants to set the Blades up, so even if it does take him a few months to get back up to speed after such a serious injury, his mere inclusion may give the rest of his side a much-needed improvement.

When he does finally get the all-clear to make his return, Arblaster will feel like a new signing, and he could be what is needed to give Chris Wilder that added boost after a couple of months back in charge at Sheffield United.

For now, though, both Blades fans and the returning boss will be praying that his latest November setback is the final one on his road to recovery.