It’s been all change at Bramall Lane this summer: out with the old, in with the new.
Longtime blades such as Chris Basham, John Egan and Oliver Norwood have departed, along with other fan favourites like Oli McBurnie, George Baldock and Wes Foderingham.
Chris Wilder is taking a gamble with this overhaul, which may be why Sheffield United are being overlooked in predictions for the 2024/25 Championship campaign.
But as they’ve proven many times before, it pays not to underestimate the Blades when they’re in the English second tier…
Time and Time Again
Those betting on football can find odds of 16/1 of Sheffield United to win the Championship in 2024/25 – making them the seventh most-likely team to prevail, behind Leeds, Burnley, Middlesbrough, Luton, Coventry and West Brom.
The football betting tips columns will focus primarily on Daniel Farke’s side – Leeds – who remarkably won 90 points last term and were therefore unfortunate not to secure promotion to the Premier League.
But the Yorkshire club has lost some key players this summer, while Burnley will have to regroup without former head coach Vincent Kompany, who has left for Bayern Munich.
Middlesbrough, Coventry and West Brom are solid second-tier sides, but none of them has the air of a champion in waiting – Luton, meanwhile, have tended to thrive as underdogs, rather than favourites, in recent years.
Chris Wilder's #PNESHU press conference will be live-streamed this afternoon from approximately 1:45pm. 🎙️
Sign in to your SUTV account to watch ⤵️
— Sheffield United (@SheffieldUnited) August 8, 2024
With the door wide open in the Championship, Sheffield United has an opportunity to seize it. In their last three seasons at this level, the Blades have finished second, fifth and second, with Wilder achieving promotion during an excellent 2018/19 campaign.
Whether by hook or by crook, Sheffield United are regulars in the top six of the Championship when playing at this level, so who would bet against them repeating that feat in 2024/25?
All Change
At the time of writing, 14 players had left the club permanently, while last season’s loan signings – including Ben Brereton-Diaz – have moved on.
It’s the kind of overhaul that can see the new-look team struggle to gel in the opening weeks of the season, but Wilder has not rested on his laurels – bringing in some eye-catching replacements too.
Kieffer Moore is a nightmare for defenders to combat at Championship level. Big and strong, but with an excellent football brain, the Welshman will lead the line for the Blades this term. He scored seven goals in 14 appearances while on loan at Ipswich Town last season; a goal-to-game ratio that would be most welcome across a full campaign in Sheffield this season.
New Chapter ⚔️
I cant wait to get started and meet you all
See you soon!⚔️ https://t.co/sCSeCv7RnE— Callum O’Hare (@CalOhare) July 15, 2024
Providing the support for Moore will be Callum O’Hare, an exceptional talent at this level who was scouted by Premier League clubs last season. The 26-year-old has delivered 37 goals in the Championship in 137 appearances; if his injury troubles are behind him, the Blades have secured a tremendous player.
Harry Souttar made his name at Championship level with Stoke City too, so Wilder has been successful in his mission to strengthen his squad with proven second-tier talent.
Could the head coach add yet another promotion to his CV come May 2025?
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