Sheffield United prepare mass clearout as relegation looms

Sheffield United are set to undergo a summer clearout with 10 first-team players out of contract from their disastrous return to the Premier League and several of them without options to stay.

Blades manager Chris Wilder admitted he may play youngsters and look to the future after the 6-0 defeat against Arsenal on Monday left them staring at relegation, with one eye on the Championship for next season.

Wes Foderingham, Oli McBurnie, Oliver Norwood, Ben Osborn, George Baldock, Jayden Bogle are out of contract from the players who faced Mikel Arteta’s team, with John Egan, Max Lowe and Daniel Jebbison also with expiring terms.

Chris Basham is out of contract and has admitted the horror injury suffered in October could be career-ending and he is fighting to play again.

While the club have options on some players such as Bogle and Osborn, many of their first-teamers such as Foderingham, McBurnie and Norwood can leave on free transfers.

Foderingham has started 24 matches in the Premier League this season, McBurnie scored 15 in the second-tier last season and Norwood has been promoted four times, which is expected to appeal to Championship clubs looking at players.

Blades will also see loans end for Mason Holgate, James McAtee, Ben Brereton Diaz and Yasser Larouci and they will be expected to return to their parent clubs, while Aston Villa are understood to have a buyback option on Cameron Archer.

Wilder brought on Ollie Arblaster, 19, off the bench against Arsenal which he says was significant, as he is now looking to players for the medium to long-term future.

“I’ve got an obligation to my employers and the football club and players have an obligation to go right to the end, I might need to see who wants to be all-in on that journey,” said Wilder. “We have to be sure who is going to be all-in medium to long-term.”