Sheffield United told to seal fresh Man City transfer - but Chris Wilder faces one 'fair issue' | OneFootball

Sheffield United could look to bring Kalvin Phillips back to the club from Man City after his loan spell was impacted by injury.

Sheffield United are gearing up for a major summer overhaul as Chris Wilder looks to build a team that can push for promotion next season.

The Blades decided to appoint the boyhood fan for a third time after a dreadful start to the campaign, and whilst he managed to steer the side clear of a relegation battle, the team have been frustratingly inconsistent over the past few months.

So, Wilder has already made it clear that he is going to make significant changes to the squad, and that may include selling players to raise funds for the rebuild.

Sheffield United consider summer deal for Man City’s Kalvin Phillips

In terms of incomings, Wilder will already have targets in mind, and it has been reported that he wants to bring Kalvin Phillips back to the club. The midfielder joined the Blades in January on loan from Man City, in a deal that was considered a coup.

However, things didn’t go to plan for Phillips, as he was sent off in the Steel City derby win over Sheffield Wednesday, and he suffered a knee injury which meant he played just three times for the club.

Therefore, the Blades didn’t get to see the best of Phillips, so it’s no surprise they would want to bring him back, if it made sense financially.

Yet, with Jairo Riedewald, Sydie Peck, Ollie Arblaster and Joe Rothwell at the club, there is an argument that Sheffield United are already well-stocked for midfielders, so the funds should be used elsewhere.

When quizzed by FLW on whether Phillips should be a target, Sheffield United fan pundit Jimmy from the Blades Ramble YouTube explained that he is hoping a deal will be agreed, even if he understood why the ex-England international may not be a priority.

“I don’t speak for the entire fan base, but I would love to see Phillips back in a Sheffield United shirt. When we signed him, the vast majority of Blades were delighted we were able to attract someone with that reputation.

“It’s been unfortunate that we haven’t got to see the best of him, but we know what kind of player he can be. The affordability is a fair issue, by all accounts, the deal we got in January was very favourable financially to us. Would City be willing to do that again? I’m not sure.

“Is he the type of player we need as a priority? A Kalvin Phillips in any squad in the Championship has potential to be one of the best players in the league. But, we don’t know what version we’re getting, and there are other areas that need strengthening before central midfield.

“I know there’s interest, but it’s certainly not a done deal. I’d like to see it, but some Blades aren’t as convinced, it’s fair to say. So, we’ll just have to wait and see what happens.”

Sheffield United must get their summer recruitment right

Obviously, the financial side of this deal means that there is a reliance on Man City agreeing to subsidise a substantial part of his salary, so it’s going to require a lot of negotiations.

Purely from a football perspective, Phillips to Sheffield United would make sense. He hasn’t played regularly for some time now, and there will be a real frustration that his move in January didn’t work out due to the injury.

So, it will feel like unfinished business for the player and club, and, as outlined above, if Phillips can get back to anywhere near his best, he will be a huge asset for Sheffield United.

Equally so, they do have four good central midfielders, so you can understand why others don’t feel Phillips should be signed, but that situation could change if Peck departs.

Ultimately, Wilder will have to wheel and deal, but if they can get Phillips back to Bramall Lane on a favourable financial deal, then it’s only going to help as they try to reach the Premier League.