Sheffield United head coach Ruben Selles has admitted he would be disappointed if the club were to sell any more key players without bringing replacements in first.
After losing to Sunderland in last season’s play-off final, Sheffield United fired popular manager Chris Wilder in June due to differences over their new data-driven recruitment plan, and Selles took his place.
As FLW exclusively revealed last month, Selles is working on a tight budget this summer, and the Blades have already signed five new players during the transfer window, with Mihail Polendakov and Ehije Ukaki joining on a permanent basis and Tyler Bindon, Djibril Soumare, and Louie Barry joining on loan. United have also sold a number of crucial players this summer, with midfielder Vini Souza joining Wolfsburg for £12.8 million last month, and defender Anel Ahmedhodzic and striker Kieffer Moore leaving for Feyenoord and Wrexham, respectively, last week, just days before the season began.
With the Blades lacking in various parts of the squad, Selles’ reign began disastrously when his side was thrashed 4-1 by Bristol City in their first game of the season at Bramall Lane on Saturday.
Ruben Selles issues Sheffield United transfer warning
Following the departures of Ahmedhodzic, Souza, and Moore, another high-profile departure could be on the cards at Sheffield United, with captain Jack Robinson, who started the defeat to Bristol City on the bench, linked with a move to Wrexham, and fellow defender Rhys Norrington-Davies believed to be on the radar of Queens Park Rangers. Speaking ahead of Wednesday night’s EFL Cup match against Birmingham City, Selles said that he would be frustrated if the club allowed any more players to leave without a successor in place.
“I would be very disappointed if someone goes out before someone comes in,” Selles told The Star. “We cannot allow this to happen. Nobody should leave before we get anyone, and Jack will be wanted by multiple clubs. I don’t really pay attention to those things.” The Blades are reportedly looking to transfer winger Jefferson Cacares to free up an ESC slot in their squad, which might allow them to sign Malmo defender Nils Zatterstrom, as well as Everton’s Ben Godfrey.
However, despite maintaining that he does not want to see any more players sold, Selles declined to give promises regarding Robinson’s long-term future at Bramall Lane, although he did affirm that he would feature in the cup encounter against the Blues. “I’ve already stated that I never say never, and there are many aspects to consider. For the time being, it is all I can say due to the gravity of the issue. I’m not going to talk for more than 24 to 48 hours. “He’s our player, our captain, and he’s prepared to play tomorrow,” Selles told The Star.
Sheffield United board must back Ruben Selles after bold transfer comments
Sheffield United replaced Wilder with Selles this summer and must now equip him with the necessary tools to lead the team to promotion. After selling Ahmedhodzic, Selles was forced to field Bindon and left-back Norrington-Davies as a makeshift center-back pairing on Saturday, which struggled to cope with the lively Bristol City attack. Robinson’s departure would further weaken the Blades’ vulnerable back line.
Selles is taking a risk by issuing such a public warning to the United hierarchy, but there is no doubt that United cannot afford many more departures this summer, especially given their limited budget, which will make it difficult to bring in replacements of comparable caliber.
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