Does Anis Slimane have a future at Sheffield United?

When Sheffield United announced the signing of Anis Slimane last summer, supporters weren’t quite sure what to expect from the Tunisian midfielder, given that he came from the Danish first division. Unfortunately, a year on and the Blades still have no idea what to expect from Slimane, which shows just how uneventful his debut season was.

The 23-year-old attacking midfielder was signed by the Blades for a fee of £1.7m in the summer of 2023 from Brondby, where he made 121 appearances, scoring nine goals and providing 12 assists for the Danish club . It helped them win the Danish top in 2021.

His debut season in English football was far from a good start. The Tunisian international has managed just four Premier League starts, even with all of Sheffield United’s injury problems over the past year. He would finish the campaign appearing 15 times in all competitions, with just four Premier League starts.

Now this is where it gets tricky; nobody at the club has seen enough to suggest whether he has a future with the Blades, or even if he has the attributes to succeed in the English leagues. There is no doubt: he has some talent in him, as we saw in his World Cup performance for Tunisia in 2022 when they beat a star-studded France side for the first time competitively.

Unfortunately, he didn’t show the same talent and tireless work rate at Sheffield United. But then again, both Paul Heckingbottom and Chris Wilder haven’t deployed him in the same role he plays for his country at Brondby – he was allowed a free role under his previous managers, where he had more license to attack.

One of the Sheff United Way co-hosts, Oli, recently shared his thoughts on what the Blades should do with Slimane.

“My verdict is that we should sell (Slimane) if we can get our money back. But, I really don’t see why we should take a loss. I think if someone isn’t prepared to give us the money we paid then we might as well see what they have to offer in the Championship.

“Give him the tools. Give it the environment in which it has thrived in the past. Maybe we’re starting to see more from him and actually get the best out of the player who, on his day, could be a very good player in the Championship.”

Anis Slimane is a player who thrives in possession-based football, which is the complete opposite of what served Sheffield United last season. So for me it would be very strange if the club were to sell him, especially with our lack of squad numbers at the moment.

I really like the attributes he brings to the table and think he can be an impact player in the Championship as long as he plays in the right system.

Keeping him for next season would be beneficial as we have to replace him with one less player and a decent showing in the league will increase his market value. Especially if the Blades secure a return promotion.