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Sheffield United Q&A including takeover, hotel, transfer focus and Berge and Ndiaye futures
Hello and welcome to this week’s Sheffield United Q&A. Just when it seemed takeover talk was dying down and the club was moving on with its plans for next season, another link has surfaced this week with reports a US consortium has expressed an interest in purchasing the club.
Yorkshire Live mentioned in this Q&A last week that this was a route United World was looking to explore and that there had been talk of American investment at Beerschot recently.
Could the two be linked?
READ MORE: Inside Sheffield United’s new kit for Premier League season and what supporters can expect next
Sheffield United fans have been submitting the questions they want answered this week and they involve the futures of Sander Berge and Iliman Ndiaye, the hotel, the limited-edition promotion shirt and transfer focus.
Paul Davis: At what valuation do United accept an offer for Ndiaye? Whilst he is clearly a top player, we can’t afford to turn down 20 or 30 million for a player who is going to leave in 12 months. Is Berge open to a new contract?
NH: That’s the predicament the club has regarding Ndiaye. There will be interest, for sure. Do you take the money or keep him and lose him for free but hope his parting gift is to keep you in the division and earn you another Premier League payday?
“I don’t think there is a right or wrong answer to that. You either take the money and weaken your chances of staying up because, let’s be honest, you won’t be able to replace him, or you turn your back on a decent sum and still not be guaranteed survival.
“With Berge, I think he will wait and see what’s out there and what the next year looks like. He’s never shown any desire to leave, but will also know the level he’s capable of playing at so will look at his options and won’t be in any great rush.”
Nathan Brearley: What’s going on with the ownership of the club and how will it affect transfer dealings?
NH: “I don’t think it will impact transfer dealings too much in this window. January might change if there is a takeover before then but that will depend on the financial muscle of the new owner, if there is one. Not aware that anything is imminent takeover wise, and Paul Heckingbottom and Paul Mitchell have to crack on with building a team now, so they are planning for the current ownership model.
“If that changes in this window, they will react but will not wait. It’s business as usual on all fronts unless told otherwise.”
Robert Martin: So the rumour mill already fired up with suggestions Joël Piroe is our first target in the summer? How hard is it as a reporter to separate the facts from fiction at this time of year?
NH: “A lot of the transfer links will be wide of the mark, either agents trying to get their players a move by linking clubs to journalists they know or the clubs themselves doing that.
“Of those links that are actually true, not all of them will be serious. For example, Paul Mitchell will have contacted umpteen agents to ask about the availability of that player and whether he fits United’s budget, etc. He will then rule a lot of those out meaning although United ‘have expressed an interest’ it’s not one they are taking further.
“Only a small amount of the names you see linked in each window United are actually adding to a shortlist of serious candidates. Some people love reading about transfer gossip and who they are being linked with, others get bored of it in the end and are happy to see the window shut.”
Jon Kay: What’s the prospective timeline for the new kit release? I assume we are in a better position than at the start of last season to get them released in good time.
NH: “Yes, a much better position. In case you missed yesterday’s kit story, which you can read here, the club is on course for an early July launch.
Richard: Are we looking to be more cautious spending-wise this time round and if so do you think we’re just happy to do what Norwich did and become a yo-yo club?
NH: “Spending will be cautious. Some of the money will go to addressing the cashflow issues and clearing the decks from the spend the last time they were in the Premier League and the money spent on keeping that squad together in the last two years.
“Unless you have the wealth of Villa and Fulham, who have gone up in recent years, promoted Championship sides can’t really be anything other than a yo-yo club due to the size of the division and the money required to stay in there.”
Chris Smith: Where does Hecky’s achievement stand compared to previous promotions under Wilder and Warnock? Personally, I think it’s the most important with the state of the club and where we were when he came in but perhaps not the most impressive.
NH: “I agree. Taking nothing away from Paul, Warnock and Wilder had to build a squad over a few seasons whereas Paul has inherited and then added to, for me, the best in the division. Previous managers did not have the value of players that he had. However, I would say this season has been the most important. Without it, United would be in trouble.
“I would also say from a performance point of view Heckingbottom’s has perhaps been the most impressive, walking away with it and setting the records that they did, while Wilder’s has been the most enjoyable.”
David Watson: “What’s happening now with the takeover, is Dozy still in the frame, how serious is the American interest? I thought Prince Abdullah wanted it sorting?
NH: “He did and still does. The American interest is serious enough to have held talks, it’s not clear at this moment whether the interest remains and if they are pressing ahead with that.
“Dozy keeps doing interviews insisting his deal is not dead yet but has not managed to complete. The ball is in his court to do that. I don’t expect him to withdraw from this, I expect him to stay in because he’s paid his £9m. Prince Abdullah insists he doesn’t owe him any money, but if you’d put £9m in you wouldn’t walk away with you?
“It’s not on Prince Abdullah and not on the EFL. It’s on Dozy to complete. The longer that goes without being done the door is open for others to swoop. If Dozy doesn’t complete, which he has not been able to do in six months, then I fear this takeover saga could drag on.”
Pete Wilson: What’s happening with the hotel? The ground looks shabby and with Premier League football returning could really do with the hotel opening
NH: “I don’t believe there is anything on the agenda to start work on the hotel right now. Last year the bill to open it was between £8m-£9m, so let’s round up to £10m for argument’s sake. It is also going to take up to nine months to complete the work.
“So you would have to commit £10m of your Premier League money to something that you won’t see until next season. If Prince Abdullah plans to sell the club now like he is hoping to, why would you spend that amount of money on it? Heckingbottom’s budget is already limited as it is, I think he would like an extra £10m if there is that amount to spare.
“How it would work is that United would have to do everything to get it open, including fitting out the fixtures and fittings, and the hoteliers would then come in and run it. United would get a rental fee for the building and a share of the profits. I’m not sure about the finances it would generate, but I can imagine it would take a while to bring the £10m back in.
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“I would expect a decision to be made on the hotel, whether to sell and get rid of it or bring it back to life in the coming months, either with the current owner or a new one. Either way, even if they start work on it tomorrow, you’re unlikely to see it open this year due to the length of time needed to open it.
“It’s actually now an interesting debate what to do with it. Having it open will be another revenue stream contributing towards finances and cashflow and, like you say, would be a great look for the club at Premier League level and what that represents. Getting shut has its merits too because it has only ever been a luxury asset rather than an essential part of the club and it has now become an expensive eyesore.”
Ian Hughes: What’s the point of getting promoted when we will come straight back down if we don’t get the backing from the board?
NH: “There will be backing, just nowhere near the level of last time due to the well-documented financial issues already taking a chunk of that money, as well as promotion bonuses etc. The board wants to make good use of the loan market.
“United cannot afford to sign Premier League players permanently, they don’t have the wage bill for that. What loans allow you to do is make a higher contribution to wages without carrying that with you if relegated.
“It therefore allows you to attract a player you would not be able to sign permanently. So, despite what is a limited amount for transfer fees, United can still be competitive if they use the loan market wisely.
“The flip side to that is that you are not building your squad if relying on loans, but that’s the position United find themselves in as a promoted Championship side in trying to bridge that financial gap between the divisions. It’s a fine line between over-spending and it proving a disaster, and then under-spending and not being competitive enough.”
Neil Taylor: Are there any plans to release more of the promotion shirts that the players wore last week? Why make a shirt and then limit it to so few?
NH: Limited edition is exactly that, a limited edition but I think the timeframe is the issue with these things. There is only a small window from the West Brom game to now to getting those shirts made, shipped over and put out on sale. If they were to open it up to pre-orders it could take the best part of another 12 weeks to get them out, in which case you are into next season’s kit window.
“With Errea allowing for bespoke kits and one-off items at short notice United just wanted to use that option. There could also be another sponsor for next season depending on what Randox plan to do about their Premier League first refusal option, so that also impacts.”
Bob Walker: Let’s be honest, the Championship was the worst it’s been for years. United lost 11 matches and still finished miles above third-place Luton. Time to release the guys who have served United well but are not capable of Premier League football. What do you think?
NH: “It’s a tough call but I understand why the board and manager don’t agree and I can see both sides of the argument. Paul already needs around five players, if any of the current crop are released he will then need more and feels his budget won’t allow for that many if they are to try and be competitive.
“But going back to Yusuf’s press conference at the time of his appointment, the plan is to move to a development club and to create a pathway. Signing players in their 30s who are likely to be third choice in some cases, on contracts that will be sizeable given the division and pay rise back, does not fit that model.”
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