Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder, owner Prince Abdullah and chief Executive Stephen Bettis are set to meet this week to discuss their future plans for the newly-promoted Premier League side, and it appears they will be looking to mirror Burnley in their plans.
Along with deciding the summer transfer window budget, having broken their transfer record in each of the past two windows with Oliver McBernie and Sander Berge arriving for £17.19m and £19.35m respectively, the Blades are planning a redevelopment of their academy.
“The whole point of promotion to the Premier League for us is also looking to create a legacy,” said Bettis. “We’re close to finalising a new first-team building to be built in the summer and, hopefully, ready for next season,” he added. The move is similar to the one Burnley took when they were promoted to the top-flight in 2014/15 under Sean Dyche with their state of the art Barnfield Academy complex cost £10.6m. It was part of the reason they did not invest heavily in their first team that season, bringing in just £11.36m worth of arrivals.
The Lancashire based facility puts the youth teams alongside Dyche’s setup, and it has reaped rewards, as the Clarets U23’s managed a lengthy unbeaten run at the start of the season and currently occupy third spot in the Professional Development League North.
Both the U23’s and the U18’s operate on a similar training timetable to the first-team squad to ensure the progression between age groups is a smooth as possible, and it has produced players such as Dwight McNeil. The 20-year-old has made 47 Premier League appearances, scoring four and assisting nine since making the step up.
By announcing the plans to develop, Sheffield United are matching the ambition their players are displaying on the pitch, off of it as well. The Blades could qualify for Europe for the first time in their 130-year history, and captain Billy Sharp has even revealed he has his eye on making his Champions League debut. At present, the club is only heading in one direction and preparing themselves for the future by investing in their academy is the ultimate way to build a legacy.
