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Prince Abdullah admission highlights Sheffield United necessity with Premier League riches
Prince Abdullah’s admission that he ‘put in and borrowed’ all the money he could last season highlights why Sheffield United must take this opportunity to use Premier League money carefully.
Their last venture into the top flight came at a cost to the infrastructure of the club, with the focus very much on the playing side. More than £100m was set aside for transfer fees alone during the two seasons, as well as £120m on wages, and with the majority of parachute money being spent on keeping that squad together upon relegation, it has left little for investment in areas away from the pitch.
The plan has to be the reverse this time round as everyone must grasp the opportunity to focus on the future rather than the present.
READ MORE: Prince Abdullah reveals Premier League hope and Sheffield United attraction amid takeover talk
While a lot of clubs in the division Sheffield United is about to enter are propped up by owner wealth, as Prince Abdullah eluded to himself, this can no longer be the case here. Therefore, it has to stand on its own two feet, making it imperative that what money does come in is invested in the right areas.
The Blades owner gave a nod to ‘upgrading the academy’. He did not expand on what that means. If that is moving to category one, as Yorkshire Live highlighted earlier this week, either the first team has to move to a new training base to allow Shirecliffe to achieve elite-level status, or the whole club moves to a new singing and dancing site.
That has to be top of the agenda, along with recruitment into the academy and stocking up the junior teams. Talented youngsters Will Lankshear and Kylan Midwood were sold last season, leaving huge holes to fill with players who were destined for their first team.
There must also be a decision made on the hotel, whether to bring back to life at a cost just shy of £10m, or to sell or use the land for other ventures. If the club is to become truly self-sustainable, revenue streams are important. A vacant building benefits no one.
Recruitment is also key. Past transfer windows have been scattergun, and have featured different approaches, some chasing towards the end and not in control. While there has been plenty of success in the market, there has also been plenty of money wasted and failures.
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Shortly before the season closed, Paul Heckingbottom highlighted the need to invest in this area. United are behind other clubs in terms of recruitment and a proper model can sustain a club for years to come if money is spent here.
Supporters will be wanting to see dream signings and a statement of ambition in the market this summer, but there won’t be anything like what we saw in the summer of 2019. It can’t be.
Money from the first instalment will be used to pay off historic debts and promotion bonuses, which is why Heckingbottom and head of recruitment Paul Mitchell will have to be cute and clever to make the budget work.
It will again be among the lowest in the division, putting them right up against it before a ball has been kicked.
A takeover, providing it is the right one, is needed for the club to establish themselves in the top division, but so far previous attempts have left a lot to be desired. While operating under the current model, this opportunity cannot be wasted.
As long as the money is invested wisely, the season will be a success regardless of what happens on the pitch. If they can defy the odds once more and avoid relegation, they will be in a great position to kick on and add. If relegated, fans must be able to see a legacy and be directed towards a bright future.
If United do not have the money or the owner to go toe-to-toe in the Premier League, is it not better to spend more on themselves than in the transfer market?
It’s OK to take the money and run. United have another chance to make themselves great.
