Chris Wilder has admitted that the coronavirus crisis has totally rewritten Sheffield United’s financial game plan with the club fearing losses of up to £30 million.
The Blades boss has seen his side return from lockdown with a draw and three straight defeats.
The run is threatening to undo a memorable first season back in the Premier League and Wilder admits that, in terms of strengthening his squad this summer, the financial fall-out from football without fans has forced a re-think.
Wilder said: “Our landscape has definitely changed, I’m not embarrassed to say that.
“We will lose a chunk of change; we’ll lose between £20-30m. So does that affect budget and investment in the team? Yeah, that’s going to be the case.
“I accept that and it’s up to me to find a way around that, I’m not embarrassed by it and once again I’ll do what I have to do to make the group better, which we have to do.
“Decisions are still to be made and budgets finalised, this is a moving situation because things can change off the back of that.
“No one knows if fans will be in the ground next season so commercial aspects, we rely on – sponsorship deals, stadium, shirt sponsorship deals – will they be affected? No one knows.”
Top of Wilder’s list is a bid to try and re-sign keeper Dean Henderson for another year on loan from Manchester United.
But he must also decide whether to offer new deals to a group of out-of-contract players headed by veteran defender Phil Jagielka.
Wilder said: “Jags has put himself in a position to earn a new contract but it’s a moving situation.
“Some boys will not be with us, that’s the natural progression of a club and it’s my job that when we come to pre-season, we’re stronger than when we started in the Premier League.”
The visit of Spurs on Thursday night promises to be another tough test for struggling United and Wilder, a big fan of Jose Mourinho, admits he has a new nickname for himself to rival “The Special One.”
Wilder joked: “I’m ‘the very, very ordinary one’ at the moment or ‘the very very frustrated with my team one!’
“Of course it’s frustrating, especially because seven of the eight goals we’ve conceded since the restart have been down to individual errors, people not concentrating and not being disciplined.”
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