Sheffield United may repeat Dominic Calvert-Lewin approach as Chris Wilder hails Everton star

Sheffield United may have to repeat their approach to transfers which saw Dominic Calvert-Lewin handed a Premier League chance with Everton, manager Chris Wilder has admitted, as he prepares to come face-to-face with his former striker at Goodison Park this afternoon. Wilder worked with the future England international during a loan spell at Northampton Town, linking up with him again after he took the United job the first time around.

At that point Calvert-Lewin was a promising youngster but couldn’t cement a place in the United first-team, with the fee the Blades received from Everton allowing them to strengthen their squad further and storm to the League One title. It was a good move for the player, too, with Calvert-Lewin really establishing himself as a Premier League player on Merseyside.

United predicted XI v Everton amid double absence blow, striker change

An 11-cap England international, four goals in his last five games means the striker is coming into the form at just the right time ahead of this summer’s European Championships and he will look to continue pressing his case against his beleaguered boyhood club, who have already been relegated back to the Championship.

“I think Jamie [Hoyland] had him when he worked in the academy and he obviously worked with him at Everton as well,” said Wilder, after Hoyland was officially unveiled as United’s new head scout a month after The Star revealed he was returning to Bramall Lane.

“Dom was a lovely lad and even when I was first here in League One, we just had to manoeuvre stuff, really. When you look back, maybe I’d have liked that opportunity to have kept him, but it was a time when we had to wheel and deal and bring players in with experience. In an ideal world, we’d have kept him and worked with him for a year or two. But we had to raise some funds to bring new players in, which will possibly be the same situation as we have to do this year and juggle it about as well.

United boss addresses Hamer transfer speculation after £15m exit talk

“But it’s been fabulous to see him go on. He’s a good kid and a modern-day athletic centre forward. He’s had a few injury problems, but it’s going to be a tough test for our centre-halves as he’s getting into a bit of rhythm and he’s playing for his country. We are all delighted that another player from our academy has gone onto some great things.”

United could be in a similar situation this summer, with a couple of sales expected to make up the shortfall in revenue between top-flight football and the Championship, where United will begin their season on minus-two points after being hit with the EFL sanction over non-payment of transfer money last season. Anel Ahmedhodzic and Vini Souza may head up the departures, with Unitedites hoping that Oliver Arblaster and Gus Hamer are still at Bramall Lane come the start of the new campaign.

United confirm key recruitment appointments ahead of transfer summer

In the short time, Unitedites travelling to Merseyside will have their final taste of Goodison Park ahead of Everton’s move into their incredible new stadium soon. “I’ve been there plenty of times and it’s a great atmosphere,” Wilder said of one of English football’s great, traditional grounds.

“And when it get going, it’s absolutely rocking. A few Evertonians will be disappointed [at the move], but a few will be delighted with the new ground and everything that brings. But it’s a real bearpit and a difficult place to play if they are on top. Our challenge is to quieten that and put ourselves in a position where it might turn against their players.”