Sheffield United missed out on promotion to the Premier League after losing the Championship play-off final and could now be about to make a shock managerial change
14:17, 12 Jun 2025Updated 15:15, 12 Jun 2025
Chris Wilder is on the brink of the sack at Sheffield United(Image: James Gill/Danehouse)
Chris Wilder is said to be on the verge of being sacked by Sheffield United just weeks after missing out on promotion to the Premier League in the Championship play-off final.
Wilder, 57, was unable to guide his boyhood club back to the Premier League at the first time of asking following relegation from the top-flight in the 2023-24 campaign. After missing out on automatic promotion, the Blades were stunned by Sunderland at Wembley to leave Wilder and Co facing up to another Championship campaign.
However, it has now emerged that Wilder’s future is in doubt ahead of a pivotal meeting at Bramall Lane.
Various reports have confirmed that Sheffield United’s powerbrokers will meet to discuss Wilder’s future at a recruitment meeting on Thursday.
It’s said that Wilder could even be sacked on the same day, despite signing a new contract with the Blades last season.
READ MORE: Transfer news LIVE: Spurs confirm Frank, Arsenal’s Williams blow, Man Utd’s next move, Gyokeres statementREAD MORE: Lincoln City: Meet the innovative EFL club using AI on set-pieces and binary code in kit
The club’s new American-based owners, COH Sports, are ‘keen’ to make a fresh appointment ahead of the 2025-26 campaign, according to The Telegraph, who expect Wilder to be shown the door.
Sheffield United’s new owners have wasted little time in stamping their authority on the club, implementing a new AI tool to aid their recruitment strategy.
Just this week the club announced the signing of Ehije Ukaki from Botev Plovdiv. Wilder confirmed that the 20-year-old winger was signed from the Bulgarian outfit after being identified by the club’s ‘data driven strategy’.
Wilder and Sheffield United were beaten in the play-off final by Sunderland last month(Image: Charlotte Wilson/Offside via Getty Images)
Join the debate! Do you think Sheffield United should sack Wilder? Let us know here
He told the club’s official website: “Ehije is a player who has been identified through our data driven strategy and is someone we’re looking forward to developing.
“He’s an emerging talent, still only 20, who has enjoyed some experience of European football early in his career, so there’s a base to work from.”
Wilder re-joined Sheffield United for a second spell in December 2023 but was unable to keep them in the Premier League. He had them in the upper echelons of the Championship for the majority of last season, though, only for the Blades to finish 3rd on 90 points behind Leeds United and Burnley.
Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
Sky Sports discounted Premier League and EFL package
This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more
£43
£35
Sky
Sky has slashed the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle ahead of the 2025/26 season, saving members £192 and offering more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.
Sky will show at least 215 live Premier League games next season, an increase of up to 100 more.