2025 Sheffield United signing set for transfer exit? Chris Wilder is open to cashing in | OneFootball

Mark McGuinness' time at Bramall Lane could be coming to an end just a year after he arrived from Luton Town

This summer is expected to be a busy one at Sheffield United, as the Bramall Lane-based side gears up for their third consecutive season in the Championship.

The Blades will begin a second-tier season without the luxury of Premier League parachute payments for the first time since their promotion campaign in the 2018/19 term under Chris Wilder.

Therefore, plenty will be done this summer to streamline the squad and reduce a wage bill estimated to be the second-highest in the division this past season to stay within financial restraints.

Already, Tom Davies, Ben Mee, who subsequently announced his retirement, Danny Ings and, surprisingly, Jairo Riedewald were released at the end of their contracts this summer, which will have freed up a decent chunk of the wage bill at Bramall Lane.

But, with Wilder returning to a bloated squad in September after being sacked following the play-off final defeat, this time last season, which he then added to with some players who fit his style better, more exits are expected, especially for those who didn't get much time in the team under the Blades boss.

Mark McGuinness faces an uncertain Sheffield United future

According to the Sheffield Star, centre-back Mark McGuinness' future at Bramall Lane is up in the air, after an underwhelming debut year in South Yorkshire.

The 25-year-old was one of four deadline day signings back in September, arriving from Luton Town - who paid a reported £10 million for him just a year earlier - for an undisclosed fee.

He was handed a four-year contract upon signing at Bramall Lane, but one year on, he may be moving to his third club in as many seasons.

McGuinness joined a Sheffield United side low on confidence, with four straight league defeats to open the season under Ruben Selles, and was immediately thrown in at the deep end; his first start came in the 5-0 drubbing against Ipswich Town that ultimately resulted in the Spaniard's sacking.

The two-time Republic of Ireland international actually kept his place in the Blades lineup during the early stages of Chris Wilder's return, but after six defeats in his first nine games, he was dropped to the bench, and chances were sparse from thereon in.

He'd come in and out at times as Sheffield United started to climb back up the table, but when Tyler Bindon was inserted into the lineup, McGuinness would struggle to even have the odd start, going two months between league appearances from February through to April.

The 25-year-old's return on Easter Monday coincides with the Blades' season effectively ending in terms of a play-off push, and those final six games were seen more as an audition for the next season, as Chris Wilder mulled over who he feels is ready to hit the ground running in the summer.

As it stands, it doesn't seem that McGuinness will be part of those plans.

Mark McGuinness highlights yet another summer transfer failure at Sheffield United

A lot has been said about the disastrous summer last year at Sheffield United, which all started with the sacking of Chris Wilder after a 92-point campaign.

A recruitment model based largely on AI was reportedly one of the reasons for his exit, and it was definitely the reason for some lacklustre signings last offseason.

The likes of Ehije Ukaki and Mihail Polendakov didn't play a league game for the club, loanees such as Louie Barry and Ben Godfrey were left out under Wilder, and Bindon almost fell by the wayside too, before his re-emergence in December.

Nils Zatterstrom and Alex Matos have been absent for large parts, too, with the former spending the second half of the season on loan with Genoa.

It says a lot when McGuinness was the summer signing with the second-most league appearances at Sheffield United this season, yet he only appeared in 25 games, and a departure this summer would only underline how poor a summer the Blades had, with Japhet Tanganga the only shining light in their transfer business.

A better transfer window will be needed in the red part of Sheffield next season, and with Chris Wilder at the helm for the entirety of it, you'd imagine that it will be.