Sheffield United must eye Chelsea talent who is making waves at Cobham | OneFootball

Sheffield United will be looking to add reinforcements to their squad this summer, and a promising talent at Chelsea's should be on their radar.

It's been a difficult season on the whole for Sheffield United, with it being a tough ask for the Blades to force themselves into the play-off positions.

That's not to say that Sheffield United have been poor throughout this year's league campaign, as they've shown much-needed improvement in the second-half of the season in particular.

Ruben Selles' time with the club early into the 2025/26 season was one to forget, with the former Reading boss being dismissed from his role in charge after a disastrous start, which saw Sheffield United sitting bottom of the Championship table.

Chris Wilder took back charge of the club, and has steered them well clear of the dreaded relegation zone, which is pleasing to see for the Bramall Lane faithful.

With it looking like a tough ask for Sheffield United to secure a top-six finish in the second tier this term, Wilder will already have an eye on his summer transfer plans, as he looks to build a squad capable of winning promotion back into the Premier League.

One market that Wilder could look to target is the loan market, with the Blades already having several loanees in their squad this term, which includes the likes of Tyler Bindon, Kalvin Phillips, Ki-Jana Hoever, and Djibril Soumare arriving at Bramall Lane on a temporary basis.

It remains to be seen as to what the future holds for those players in terms of any long-term future at Sheffield United, but further loanees should be targeted, as Wilder looks to build a squad for next season.

Chelsea talent should be on Wilder's radar

Sheffield United seemingly have relatively good connections with Chelsea, having had Alfie Gilchrist on loan last season, and the Blades should consider another raid on the Premier League giants this summer.

The talent they should have their eye on is youngster, Jesse Derry, who is the son of former QPR midfielder, Shaun Derry. The winger has impressed for the Blues' academy teams, and has even been trusted with featuring in Chelsea's first-team during the 2025/26 campaign.

Derry made his senior debut for Liam Rosenior's side in a comfortable 4-0 win over Hull City in the FA Cup earlier this year, and he'll be keen to feature for the Blues on a more regular basis in future seasons.

The 18-year-old has scored five goals in 15 appearances for Chelsea's Under-21s side in Premier League 2 campaign, whilst also chipping in with five goals in eight appearances for them in the UEFA Youth League.

Derry has come through the England youth setup as well, with the midfielder now turning out for the England Under-19s team. He's been in great form for the Three Lions as well, scoring six goals in 12 appearances for them.

At the age of 18, he's got plenty of room to develop as a player, and a loan spell is the ideal opportunity for him to experience senior football, which is exactly what he'll need at this stage of his career.

What would Derry bring to Bramall Lane?

Derry is of course an unproven talent in senior football, but he's certainly worth the risk, especially when he's not likely to dent the Sheffield United wage bill too much.

Sheffield United have some strong options in wide areas, with the likes of Callum O'Hare, Andre Brooks, Chiedozie Ogbene, Tahith Chong already available to Wilder. However, Ogbene is set to return to Ipswich Town at the end of the season, as his spell at Bramall Lane is only a temporary one, and so that would not only free up a loan spot in the Blades squad, but also mean that another wide option is needed.

Chris Wilder likes to operate in a 4-2-3-1, or 4-4-2 formation, and so signing an additional winger would make complete sense for the Blades boss.

The likes of Tyrese Campbell, Danny Ings, and Patrick Bamford would certainly benefit from having a player of Derry's exciting potential involved in their squad. Below, we'll take a look at some key statistics that Derry has to his name from this year's Premier League 2 campaign with Chelsea's Under-21s side.

Statistics shown are correct on FotMob as of 20/03/25.

As shown by Derry's statistics, he's not shy of having efforts at goal, and a player full of confidence is one that could make a real impact under the management of Chris Wilder, who knows how to get the best out of some young talents.

He's clearly a player that drives at opposition full-backs, and puts dangerous crosses in for his team-mates, with 19 successful crosses so far in Chelsea Under-21s Premier League 2 campaign to date.

Derry has created 26 chances for Chelsea's Under-21s this term, and with nine of those big labelled as 'big chance' from FotMob, he's a player that could add a creative spark to the Sheffield United team.

It's clear to see that Derry is a player that could add something to Chris Wilder's side, and it's a deal that would make sense for all parties involved. The Blades should look to make their move for the talented youngster sooner rather than later though, as he's a player that is likely to attract interest from plenty of clubs if he's made available for loan this summer.