Sheffield United have been outperforming their means this season considering Bramall Lane can lay claim to the lowest wage bill in the Premier League, £728,000 was the average annual salary per player prior to January. Despite this, the Blades, guided by lifelong fan Chris Wilder, have navigated themselves to sixth in the top-flight, just two points shy of the top four and they are in with a genuine chance of qualifying for the Champions League next season. Although senior figures at the club have revealed that they will not break their wage structure when negotiating with potential acquisitions or existing members of the first-team squad.
Chief Executive Steve Bettis said: “We’ve got a wage structure for the first team and we work really hard to make sure we don’t mess with that because that brings disharmony within the team.” Adding: “Everything we’re doing is to make sure that stays in place.”
In slightly contradictory fashion the Blades have smashed their transfer record on five occasions during the past two windows. The January arrival of Sander Berge for £19.35m was a particularly impressive coup given he lined up in this seasons Champions League. But to make sure Sheffield do not just appear in Europe for one season only, the club should avoid emulating Tottenham Hotspur’s wage structure. Players such as Christian Eriksen eventually ended up leaving for increased salaries elsewhere, and Bramall Lane could become a steppingstone for greener pastures by utilising the model.
In recent years Wolverhampton Wanderers have had to pay in excess of £200m to climb out of the Championship and qualify for the Europa League, and the Blades can only compete with the big boys on a budget for so long. Though Sheffield owner Abdullah bin Musa’ad improved Wilder’s budget to facilitate Berge’s arrival, the club insists they do not operate the benefactor model. The Blades do not need to compete with the likes of the top six’s investment but bringing in the 22-year-old Norwegian prodigy is the sort of shrewd business Wolves might have made. Failing to seriously invest in their overachieving squad and sticking to a wage structure could see it revert to the mean and hit a glass ceiling.
