CONFIRMED Ehije Ukaki signs from Botev Plovdiv - 3 year contract

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Lord Eddard Muir said:
What I will say is that if you take away the buzzwords, all three of these so far could just as easily have been dredged up by the United World scouting brains trust.
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New owners new to football are going to make mistakes. Swearing by data over traditional methods completely would be one of them but proof will be in the pudding
 
Keen Blade said:
Is there any wonder ?
He consumed the £10m that would have brought in a proper replacement for Souttar and got us promoted.
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That ire should have been more directed at Wilder than Cannon. Not saying the latter goes blameless, but Wilder's misplaced faith in JLT cost us much much more than Cannon.
 
robbiez666 said:
I think we need to focus on workrate...
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There is one lad at the kiosk near the fan park who works his socks off.
Just cannot last a full shift though, we really need to look at the conditioning of the catering staff.
 
LurkerBlade said:
We need to follow Brighton/Brentford with their scouting - we do that:
"Wilder will never give them a game"
"They aren't good enough"
"Seen them in U21s and he's not good enough"

Brighton/Brentford usually take 18 months to bed in and be given games...

Honestly we bloody love a moan at the lane
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Can’t win.

Sheff United fans - we need to be kore like Brentford and Brighton and unearth done gems.

Also Sheff United fans - never heard of this lad, he’ll probably play an U23 game and then be off.

🤣

At least let’s have an open mind. Maybe we’ve opened up our own niche all of a sudden.
 
Jan Age said:
Do you think wilders the man for working within this model? I’m struggling to think of a player that coaching team have taken and developed in to a really good player … unless it’s straight out of the U23s
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I don’t know logically I think Wilder will instinctively want to go with experience next year to try and get us over the top I think he will want to prioritise players with a proven track record either in this division already or with a track record of success at a lower level. I think Wilder will want players like Poku much more than these lads and they’re not signings for the 21’s either because if that was the vision we’d be going out and signing 16/17 year olds to develop in the academy.

These type of signings are ones where you’d think you’d need a foreign B team to send them to or the old B team system. On the other hand maybe the club thinks they can develop them in training without getting game minutes.
 
AI does not sign the players, AI will identify potential signings based on criteria which I am sure our scouts will look at and do the necessary due diligence. It's a competitive market. It's not a perfect strategy but one I am excited that we are exploring rather than churning out of groundhog transfer window links. It's something a few years back we'd have laughed at if somebody suggested we may have a new innovative scouting system.

As said, signings such as this are fairly low-risk gambles, nobody is expecting these to be our only targets. It may only take that one low risk gamble to pay off massively.

Not that I need to repeat this for myself, but maybe for the majority of comments I am seeing on social media.
 
Personally I would t trust wilder with a cuddly toy 🧸 let alone millions in transfer money.

If we are shopping with pennies let him have a go but if we have anything significant he needs to closely monitored.

I think it’s clear we are sticking with him now so hopefully the club have outlined a ‘new normal’ for him and he’s agreed to it
 
UHLENBEEKS-RIGHT-BOOT said:
AI does not sign the players, AI will identify potential signings based on criteria which I am sure our scouts will look at and do the necessary due diligence. It's a competitive market. It's not a perfect strategy but one I am excited that we are exploring rather than churning out of groundhog transfer window links. It's something a few years back we'd have laughed at if somebody suggested we may have a new innovative scouting system.

As said, signings such as this are fairly low-risk gambles, nobody is expecting these to be our only targets. It may only take that one low risk gamble to pay off massively.

Not that I need to repeat this for myself, but maybe for the majority of comments I am seeing on social media.
Click to expand...
I don’t want to see is leveraging technology to sign players. I want scouting done in the right way, by an ex player on the scouting gravy train, watching a league two game for the first five mins before buggering off to the bar and buffet, then ringing in saying the player isn’t big enough.
 

It is interesting if you type "Sheffield united style signing" into ChatGPT this is the response

Sheffield United have developed a reputation for a particular style of transfer business—especially in recent years. A "Sheffield United-style signing" usually refers to a certain profile of player and approach, shaped by the club’s budget, philosophy, and competitive situation.


Here's what typically defines that kind of signing:

✅ Characteristics of a Sheffield United-Style Signing:​


1.​

  • Players from lower leagues (Championship, League One, League Two).
  • Young prospects from Premier League academies, often on loan (e.g., James McAtee from Man City).
  • Players returning from abroad who may be undervalued.

2.​

  • The club values work ethic and physicality.
  • Players suited to a gritty, disciplined system rather than flair-heavy styles.

3.​

  • Recruits who can slot into specific roles (e.g., overlapping center-backs during Chris Wilder’s time).
  • Adaptability and positional flexibility are big plusses.

4.​

  • Operating within a tight budget, especially when in the Championship.
  • Bargain buys, free transfers, or loan-to-buy deals.

5.​

  • Historically more domestic-focused but have brought in select international players, especially from the Balkans, Scandinavia, or lower European leagues.


🧠 Examples (Past Sheffield United-Type Signings):​


  • John Egan – Reliable, lower-league defender turned Premier League regular.
  • Sander Berge – Smart foreign signing from Genk; technical yet physical.
  • Rhian Brewster – Big-money but still fits profile: young, raw, high potential.
  • Tommy Doyle / James McAtee – Academy talents from Man City on loan.
  • Anel Ahmedhodžić – Signed from Malmö; relatively unknown but tactically smart and physical.


🔍 2025 Hypothetical Example Targets​


(If you're looking for modern "Sheffield United-style" names)
  • Ben Sheaf (Coventry) – Midfielder with energy and passing.
  • Kasey McAteer (Leicester) – Young, versatile attacker.
  • Jesurun Rak-Sakyi (Crystal Palace) – Possible loan winger with talent but needing minutes.
  • Luke Thomas (Leicester) – Left-back/wing-back depth with top-flight exposure.
  • Luka Ilić (Troyes) – Technical Balkan midfielder, under-the-radar
 
YorkBlade said:
fairly low risk
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I'm not at all convinced that this is as "low risk" as people seem to keep saying.

We have finite resources in terms of time, money, expertise, etc, morale even, and it takes some of those resources to identify and recruit and train these players.

They then need housing, feeding, language lessons (presumably), and - somewhere down the line - training.

Who's a better use of our limited resources: Sydie Peck or Trikki Wingero from 3rd Division Guatemalan outfit Los Rocketeros.

Beyond all that we have (or had) an ethos, a style, a culture. Where's that in all this? That, intangible, unquantifiable as it is, may be more important than anything.

I look forward to being completely wrong, it all working out, winning the Champions League and Brad Pitt playing Chris Wilder in the movie.

 
LBA_Blade said:
It is interesting if you type "Sheffield united style signing" into ChatGPT this is the response

Sheffield United have developed a reputation for a particular style of transfer business—especially in recent years. A "Sheffield United-style signing" usually refers to a certain profile of player and approach, shaped by the club’s budget, philosophy, and competitive situation.


Here's what typically defines that kind of signing:

✅ Characteristics of a Sheffield United-Style Signing:​


1.​

  • Players from lower leagues (Championship, League One, League Two).
  • Young prospects from Premier League academies, often on loan (e.g., James McAtee from Man City).
  • Players returning from abroad who may be undervalued.

2.​

  • The club values work ethic and physicality.
  • Players suited to a gritty, disciplined system rather than flair-heavy styles.

3.​

  • Recruits who can slot into specific roles (e.g., overlapping center-backs during Chris Wilder’s time).
  • Adaptability and positional flexibility are big plusses.

4.​

  • Operating within a tight budget, especially when in the Championship.
  • Bargain buys, free transfers, or loan-to-buy deals.

5.​

  • Historically more domestic-focused but have brought in select international players, especially from the Balkans, Scandinavia, or lower European leagues.


🧠 Examples (Past Sheffield United-Type Signings):​


  • John Egan – Reliable, lower-league defender turned Premier League regular.
  • Sander Berge – Smart foreign signing from Genk; technical yet physical.
  • Rhian Brewster – Big-money but still fits profile: young, raw, high potential.
  • Tommy Doyle / James McAtee – Academy talents from Man City on loan.
  • Anel Ahmedhodžić – Signed from Malmö; relatively unknown but tactically smart and physical.


🔍 2025 Hypothetical Example Targets​


(If you're looking for modern "Sheffield United-style" names)
  • Ben Sheaf (Coventry) – Midfielder with energy and passing.
  • Kasey McAteer (Leicester) – Young, versatile attacker.
  • Jesurun Rak-Sakyi (Crystal Palace) – Possible loan winger with talent but needing minutes.
  • Luke Thomas (Leicester) – Left-back/wing-back depth with top-flight exposure.
  • Luka Ilić (Troyes) – Technical Balkan midfielder, under-the-radar
Click to expand...

If it's suggesting resigning Luke Thomas, then it needs turning off and on again
 
sufc323 said:
If it's suggesting resigning Luke Thomas, then it needs turning off and on again
Click to expand...
Agreed and probably chucking the laptop out the window although Ben Sheaf or Luka Ilić money dependent wouldn't be bad shouts as a random name generator pick, although I do like how even AI picks us out as gritty, hardworking and physical, it's like Roy's pre-match bingo card.
 
sufc323 said:
If it's suggesting resigning Luke Thomas, then it needs turning off and on again
Click to expand...
I went to Ipswich Town at Leicester a couple of weeks ago with a tractor supporting mate and booed Luke Thomas’ every touch. I looked and sounded mad but it was very cathartic. Never forgive the daft fucker for the drop ball fiasco
 
Ned the Donkey said:
I'm not at all convinced that this is as "low risk" as people seem to keep saying.

We have finite resources in terms of time, money, expertise, etc, morale even, and it takes some of those resources to identify and recruit and train these players.

They then need housing, feeding, language lessons (presumably), and - somewhere down the line - training.

Who's a better use of our limited resources: Sydie Peck or Trikki Wingero from 3rd Division Guatemalan outfit Los Rocketeros.

Beyond all that we have (or had) an ethos, a style, a culture. Where's that in all this? That, intangible, unquantifiable as it is, may be more important than anything.

I look forward to being completely wrong, it all working out, winning the Champions League and Brad Pitt playing Chris Wilder in the movie.

Click to expand...

I take you point and yes, we shouldn't just throw money at anything with a pulse, but there is a balance. Stick to Wilder's Little Black book --> Mike Allen/Jamie Hoyland --> AI Punts. Somewhere, within that trio of approaches, lies a best practice. It's pretty clear that we need to modernise our approach and move away from only relying on the Management Teams knowledge of the lower leagues. Fear about housing, feeding, english ability, ethos, culture, are all things that should be looked at, sure, but they should be minor considerations compared to the main event - Footballing ability.
 
Champagneblade said:
Can’t win.

Sheff United fans - we need to be kore like Brentford and Brighton and unearth done gems.

Also Sheff United fans - never heard of this lad, he’ll probably play an U23 game and then be off.

🤣

At least let’s have an open mind. Maybe we’ve opened up our own niche all of a sudden.
Click to expand...

Why would our fans change the habits of a lifetime?
 
UHLENBEEKS-RIGHT-BOOT said:
AI does not sign the players, AI will identify potential signings based on criteria which I am sure our scouts will look at and do the necessary due diligence. It's a competitive market. It's not a perfect strategy but one I am excited that we are exploring rather than churning out of groundhog transfer window links. It's something a few years back we'd have laughed at if somebody suggested we may have a new innovative scouting system.

As said, signings such as this are fairly low-risk gambles, nobody is expecting these to be our only targets. It may only take that one low risk gamble to pay off massively.

Not that I need to repeat this for myself, but maybe for the majority of comments I am seeing on social media.
Click to expand...

Spot on 👏🏻
 

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