Sheffield United: Blades want hungry players, insists boss Chris Wilder

The new Blades boss made the admission after reports linking him with a move for Ricky Holmes, the midfielder who shone under Wilder last season as Northampton Town romped to the League Two title.

Holmes handed in a formal transfer request earlier this week after bids from an unknown club were turned down and Wilder said: “We’re working hard to bring players in, and there’s plenty going on behind the scenes.

“We only want the right people, though, and I think that’s important. And they’ve got to come here for the right reasons too. Not for the money but because they want to be here.”

“The two we’ve got in, Mark Duffy and Chris Hussey, showed that,” Wilder added.

“We’ve got two good players there. Mark, you can just feel, is going to enjoy the challenge here. You sensed that when we showed him around. And Chris is at that stage when he wants to really kick on and we think he can do that. He showed he can at Bury.”

Former Barnet and Portsmouth midfielder Holmes scored 11 goals in 32 games as Town lifted the League Two title last season.

Cobblers chairman Kelvin Thomas said: “We have rejected offers because we don’t want to lose Ricky, however his transfer request is a bit of a game changer and we will continue discussions over the next few days with both Ricky and the club concerned.

“Both understand that if anything is going to happen then the club’s valuation will need to be met.”

Wilder signed Holmes for Northampton and admitted shortly after taking the Bramall Lane hotseat that he wouldn’t allow sentiment to get in the way of progress.

“There are a lot of good players at Northampton,” he said.

“Business is business and we all understand that There are a lot of outstanding players at the club, and I should imagine they are coveted not just by the club that I am at now, but other clubs too.

“I think that is just a fact of life really.”

Meanwbile, former Blades defender Harrison McGahey yesterday agreed a two-year deal with Rochdale. The former Blackpool defender was released by United and will join their League One rivals on July 1.

“I’m delighted to have signed for Rochdale,” the 20-year-old said.

“It’s now time to put in the hard work, and I’m really looking forward to the challenge.”