New Sheffield United owners expected to sack Chris Wilder
Chris Wilder's future as Sheffield United manager is in doubt after the club's failure to seal a return to the Premier League.
Wilder could be sacked later on Thursday by United's new owners, just under three weeks since the Championship play-off final defeat by Sunderland at Wembley.
The 57-year-old's team was in contention for promotion for the majority of last season, despite a two-point deduction, but is expected to pay the price after falling short in his promotion bid. Senior officials are believed to be preparing for a recruitment meeting today.
It will be the second time Wilder has been sacked by his boyhood club, following his previous dismissal in March 2021. He returned to the club in December 2023 and signed a new contract last season which would have run to 2028.
United's new owners, American-based consortium COH Sports, are keen to make a new appointment before pre-season. The consortium, led by businessmen Steven Rosen and Helmy Eltoukhy, completed their takeover at Bramall Lane in December last year, when the team were top of the Championship.
After the defeat by Sunderland last month, Wilder said: 'We've had the taste of Premier League, we know what a great experience it is and the experience that they'll have next season.
'It's going to take quite a while to get over this and we're going to have to suffer and go through the pain.'
United are the latest Championship club to start searching for a new manager, joining Bristol City, Middlesbrough and Queens Park Rangers.
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