Five potential new Sheffield United managers to replace Chris Wilder amid exit talks

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Yet another manager could be losing his job this week, as Chris Wilder potentially faces the chop at Sheffield United, so we got to thinking who could step in to replace him.

After taking the Blades to within moments of securing promotion to the Premier League, it was heartache for Sheffield United and Chris Wilder in the play-off final last month.

It appeared Wilder would have to go back to the drawing board and tweak his squad, with big departures like Gustavo Hamer and Vini Souza expected.

But, the latest word is that Wilder could be sacked after concerns were raised by the club’s new owners and an apparent disconnect emerged over transfer strategy at Bramall Lane.

It seems almost unthinkable that the man so synonymous with the Blades could be gone, but there are options out there to become the next Sheffield United manager.

• READ MORE: Sheffield United learn Chris Mepham’s most likely destination after Bournemouth trigger extension

Who could be the next Sheffield United manager?

Steve Cooper

To us, the most obvious candidate to take over at Bramall Lane would be Steve Cooper. The former Nottingham Forest and Leicester boss has been out of work since November, and had been strongly linked with the Middlesbrough vacancy, but he’s not keen on that job.

He’s an old-school manager very much in the same vein as Wilder and Neil Warnock, so he would fit the ethos and vibe of Sheffield United very well. He’s also got a proven track record of success in the Championship, which is surely appealing to the COH Sports chiefs now.

Danny Rohl

OK, hear us out. We know this sounds crazy, but there’s a tiny chance we could see Danny Rohl move across the Steel City and take up the top job at Sheffield United.

First of all, it’s abundantly clear that Rohl wants to leave Sheffield Wednesday. He’s made no secret of that and has been linked with multiple jobs in England and back in his native Germany, with Wolfsburg the latest to show interest.

Would United be willing to pay the £5m release clause to get him out of S6? Probably, even just for the sake of bringing the Owls fans to their knees. It’s unlikely this will happen, but with everything going on at Sheffield Wednesday right now, you simply cannot rule it out.

• READ MORE: How much Steve Gibson would have to pay Sheffield Wednesday to bring Danny Rohl to Middlesbrough

Gary O’Neil

One manager who has thrown his hat into the ring for just about every Championship vacancy this summer is former Wolves man Gary O’Neil. From Middlesbrough and Norwich to Hull City, we’re sure O’Neil is not done campaigning for a new job just yet, and his eyes will surely be lighting up at the prospect of replacing Wilder.

In many ways, he would be a desirable appointment for the Sheffield United hierarchy, too. O’Neil is young enough to be regarded as exciting, but also has top flight experience. He’s fairly progressive with his tactics, but is also a bit of an old-fashioned man-manager, too, so he’s the ideal blend of all of Chris Wilder’s best traits, as well as offering plenty that he lacks.

Ruben Selles

It’s very surprising that Ruben Selles has still not found a new job yet since his shock sacking at Hull City. Granted, he and the Tigers only just survived the drop by the skin of their teeth, but the situation he inherited really didn’t leave much room for anything better than that.

Selles was mentioned for the Huddersfield job, but that didn’t happen, and while the Blades role would be a big step up for him, again, he’s the kind of profile we can see COH Sports taking a shine to. Selles is fairly young and would be a flashy appointment in many ways. He’s also very different to Wilder, which could be what United need now after years of being stuck with the same identity.

Dave Challinor

We’ve been singing Dave Challinor’s praises for a while now after seeing what he’s done with Stockport County. He’d have been our pick for the West Brom job, and is someone we could see replacing Danny Rohl at Wednesday, but the United job would be just as suitable.

Challinor embodies the hard-working spirit, grit, and determination the Blades love, and he’s also got that bite and fire about him that has made Wilder such a popular figure among supporters at Bramall Lane.

There’s no doubt Challinor is ready for the step up, and we’d love to see him given a chance at a big club like Sheffield United.