Chris Wilder to be handed big Sheffield United player boost | OneFootball

Chris Wilder is set to be handed a big boost ahead of Sheffield United's upcoming Championship season

Chris Wilder is facing a crucial summer at the Sheffield United management helm, following last season's underwhelming Championship finish.

The Blades finished just 13th in the second tier last term, 13 points adrift of sixth-place Hull City, who won promotion to the Premier League via the play-offs.

Wilder's men reached the Championship play-off final in 2025, and they will need to have a successful summer transfer window to reinstall promotion credentials ahead of the next campaign.

Intriguingly, Sheffield United sold Andre Brooks to second-tier rivals Norwich City on Thursday, even though the winger made 39 league appearances last term, scoring six goals and producing two assists in the process.

Chris Wilder will be particularly delighted with one Sheffield United player's fitness ahead of next season

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The Blades were handed next season's Championship fixture list this week, and know that they will be hosting Birmingham City in their opening game.

Sheffield United's other key fixtures next term include their Boxing Day clash with Kim Hellberg's Middlesbrough and their final day trip to Southampton.

Meanwhile, despite Brooks' departure, Wilder must compile a squad that is capable of battling for promotion from the Championship next season.

The second-tier play-offs have been expanded to include the teams finishing seventh and eighth next term, which bolsters the South Yorkshire outfit's chances of winning promotion to the Premier League.

But as Wilder plots a successful summer transfer window, he will be aware of how much of a boost current player Oli Arblaster's situation is.

The talented midfielder was plagued by injuries last season, which meant that he was limited to just 21 Championship appearances, including only nine starts.

However, the 22-year-old can be a top player in the second tier when he is on form, as he proved in the early stages of the 2024/25 campaign before suffering an ACL injury during a Steel City Derby victory over Sheffield Wednesday.

Arblaster also made 12 Premier League appearances for the Blades during the 2023/24 season, showing that he has been highly rated at Bramall Lane for a long time.

However, amid his aforementioned fitness struggles, the Sheffield United academy graduate has never made more appearances for one club in a season than the 26 he managed while on loan with Port Vale in 2023/24, even though he returned to Bramall Lane before that campaign was over.

Arblaster is currently fit and firing ahead of the new season, which will thrill Wilder as the 22-year-old is a major asset who has often been unavailable in recent months.

When he is at his best, the former Vale loan star is a metronome who can help the Blades control the tempo of games against top-class Championship opponents.

Oli Arblaster's role will become more important if Sydie Peck leaves Bramall Lane

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Wilder knows that he has to complete a sizeable rebuild at Bramall Lane in the transfer market this summer, and the decision to allow Brooks to join Norwich proves that the Blades boss isn't afraid of parting company with prominent players.

West Ham United are interested in Sydie Peck following their relegation to the Championship, according to The Athletic.

The Hammers will need a new midfielder this summer, with Mateus Fernandes increasingly unlikely to stay at the London Stadium, having been eyed by the likes of Manchester United.

Meanwhile, if Peck leaves Bramall Lane, it will hand Arblaster more starting opportunities, while Wilder will be delighted by the 22-year-old's fitness heading into next season.