Sheffield United: Chris Wilder to discuss club’s future with owner Prince Abdullah

Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder will meet with owner Prince Abdullah next week to discuss the club’s future.

Despite finding themselves in a relegation battle, Wilder says “good things” are happening off the pitch as they look beyond the end of the season.

“I’m going out to Riyadh next week for meetings with the owners, for four or five days,” Wilder, 56, said.

“They understand the situation that we’re in. They’re not liking the situation and I didn’t expect them to.”

Sheffield United have won just three games so far this season and have a goal difference of -50.

Wilder added: “We all take that responsibility and we’re all hurting, regardless of whether the owner is at every game. He watches diligently and we speak frequently. So he’s keen to get stuff moving and planning.”

On Thursday, Sheffield United said head of recruitment Paul Mitchell had left the club by mutual consent and that the club had “begun the process to reshape the recruitment department”.

The club also announced it had agreed a deal to buy land in Dore to build a new first-team training centre.

“I am a medium to longer-term planner, because that has to happen at a football club,” said Wilder.

“I keep saying, we’ve got good things happening and I’m sure more things will come out in the next two or three weeks.”

Sheffield United travel to Bournemouth on Saturday with the hope of bouncing back from a 6-0 defeat by Arsenal at Bramall Lane on Monday.

“There’s still some life in us. I’ve not been told we’re relegated yet,” Wilder said.

“We will be if we continue to play like we did for half an hour or 40 minutes like we did against Arsenal.

“That will happen pretty quickly. So that’s got to be our challenge – for that not to happen.”