Sheffield United welcome back two familiar faces ahead of major rebuild

Sheffield United have officially added a new head of recruitment ahead of one of the biggest summer transfer windows in the club’s history.

The Blades have appointed Mike Allen as their new head of recruitment, while Jamie Hoyland will be the new head of first-team scouting.

As stated on the club’s official website: Allen’s appointment will lead to a much more data-driven recruiting plan than the team has been used to in recent times under former recruiting chief Paul Mitchell.

Both men have close ties to the football club and Chris Wilder himself. Allen was previously head of data analysis at Sheffield United for 16 years before leaving in 2021. He was also brought into a role by Wilder for Middlesbrough and Watford and has now rejoined the he at Blades.

Meanwhile, Hoyland, who once held a scouting role for the academy, has joined the football club, for whom he once played, after leaving for Everton last year to become their chief scout.

Speaking on the club’s official website, the Sheffield United boss expressed his delight at signing two new faces to the recruitment squad.

“This is fantastic news for the club as we welcome two individuals who will play a major role in one of the most important recruitment periods this club has seen in the last decade,” he exclaimed.

“From the growth of the recruiting department, this was something that everyone from the board to management agreed was necessary, and these two people will not be the last we appoint in a new image team.

“I have worked successfully with Mike before, he is no stranger to the club and Jamie is someone who will need no introduction to Blades fans either from his time as a player and his work with the academy.”

During Mike Allen’s last full season at Sheffield United, he played a part in identifying the likes of: Rhian Brewster, Aaron Ramsdale, Max Lowe, Jayden Bogle, Oliver Burke, Wes Foderingham and Ethan Ampadu. The Blades would spend around £45m in transfer fees that season.

In his only summer window with Boro, Allen played a role in helping the club identify and recruit a host of loan, permanent and free signings which saw: Marcus Forss, Matt Clarke, Matthew Hoppe, Dan Barlaser, Darragh Lenihan, Cameron Archer and Alex Mowatt, among others, join Middlesbrough.

This summer window for Sheffield United could look similar to Boro’s in 2022, where a mixture of permanents, loans and frees will be used to bring in the perfect mix of experience and quality squad players, such as and some exciting Premier League youth loans.

Perhaps Allen’s former links with Middlesbrough could see Paddy McNair join the Blades this summer. The 29-year-old is a free agent this summer and is a player Chris Wilder loves. He has also been rumored to have joined United in the past.