Sheffield United’s unseen transfer advantage as Chris Wilder highlights "massively important" factor in Sunderland, Leeds United reunions
When news of interest from Sheffield United filtered through to Leo Hjelde in the final throes of the winter transfer window, the Sunderland man didn’t have to look far to get a reference of what life at the Lane is like. “He’s a roommate of Simon Moore,” said boss Chris Wilder, “so Mooro’s still working his magic for us in one way or another. A secret Blade at heart.”
Wilder spoke with a smile on his face and a glint in his eye but inwardly he sees that standing that United have in the wider football world as another big positive that they can use to their advantage in the transfer market.
If Kalvin Phillips or Joe Rothwell needed the lowdown on what it was like to play for United, they only had to scroll to the name of former Leeds teammate Patrick Bamford in their phone contacts. Jairo Riedewald knew Gus Hamer before they were united at Bramall Lane late last year, Ki-Jana Hoever played with Tyrese Campbell at Stoke City. The list goes on and on.
Football is becoming an increasingly insular business and players, coaches and managers talk. And Moore’s ringing endorsement of what Hjelde can expect in South Yorkshire, based on the first-hand experience of his own time at United, can only bode well.
“For me, that’s massively important,” Wilder admitted. “I want us to be thought of as a real good football club. With good supporters who are passionate and get behind the team. And expectant, which we get.
Sheffield United’s unseen transfer advantage comes into focus as Chris Wilder highlights "massively important" factor
“It’s a great place to play and we want players to feel that. I’ve always said this; I believe there are very, very few players who have left here and gone: ‘I got treated badly, I didn’t have a good time. I didn’t like him, I didn’t like the way they handled that.’
“You’re always going to get the odd one who might be a little bit bitter and looking for excuses. But I look at Mooro, I look at John Fleck, John Egan, David McGoldrick, who I speak to a lot. All the boys who have been here over the last 10 years and want to come back and watch games. Look at Bash’s testimonial last year.
“We want that. We want our reputation to be good with players, with former players and with fellow clubs and competitors. That we do things the right way. And then I'm ringing Simon up and he's giving me a fabulous reference on Leo.
“And that goes a long way, because I'm a massive fan of Mooro and what he did while he was here. Just having good people around your football club and in your football club is huge for me.
“I believe we have that here, and there'll be a next crop of players - Oli [McBurnie] and players like that, who we can always ring up and always use and get a valuable, honest appraisal about potential players that come here.”
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