Sheffield United stars set to discover their contract fates as deadline looms large

Any Sheffield United players still waiting to discover their contract fates for next season and beyond will receive more clarity shortly with a summer EFL deadline looming large.

The number of Blades players set to become free agents this summer is well into the double-figures and although at least one is understood to have triggered extensions to remain at Bramall Lane next season, others appeared to be facing more uncertain futures before boss Paul Heckingbottom’s scheduled flight to Switzerland to meet members of the United World hierarchy earlier this week.

Boss Heckingbottom has made no secret of his desire to retain the services of his out-of-contract players, fearing his already-modest budget for next season will be stretched even thinner if he is forced to sign replacements for existing stars on top of those already on his transfer wishlist.

But that is not a view shared by the Bramall Lane hierarchy, with Heckingbottom hoping to finalise his squad plans for next season in Geneva. Skipper Billy Sharp, who made an emotional address to supporters from the Town Hall last week, is amongst those facing an uncertain future, while the likes of Oli McBurnie, Wes Foderingham and Jack O’Connell are amongst the senior players whose latest contracts were scheduled to expire at the end of next month.

“We’ve had conversations, I know what I want and the board are a little bit different,” Heckingbottom said last week. “We’ll wait and see. I’ve spoken to players and I’ve given players bad news, good news.

“But it doesn’t mean that I, we, can accept that. It’s going to be ongoing. I’m going to speak to the board in Geneva and we’ll see what happens.”

If any impasse remains, it must be resolved soon. EFL rules dictate that clubs must submit their retained list by midnight on the third Saturday in May – this weekend. United are still bound by EFL rules despite winning promotion to the Premier League, while those players still involved in play-off action are granted an extension to the deadline.

The EFL then publishes clubs’ retained lists by the second Saturday in June. Players with options in their contracts can only formally negotiate with other clubs if they are informed that United will not be keeping them, while the club may decide to negotiate terms with players rather than simply exercise their option to extend their current terms and conditions by another season.

United must also keep an eye on their longer-term contract situation, with star names including Iliman Ndiaye, Sander Berge, John Egan and George Baldock scheduled to become free agents in the summer of 2024 as things stand.