Sheffield United have sacked manager Rubén Sellés after a disastrous start to the Championship season, with the club now poised to reappoint Chris Wilder for a third spell in charge. The decision comes after a 5-0 thrashing at Ipswich Town on Friday night left the Blades bottom of the table with six defeats from six matches.
Sellés, appointed in the summer after Wilder was dismissed following the Championship play-off final defeat, failed to win any of his six games in charge. His side have not scored in their past four fixtures and have managed just two goals all season. The Spaniard, who previously coached at Southampton and Reading, was an unpopular choice among fans.
Wilder, a boyhood Sheffield United supporter, is expected to return to Bramall Lane with greater influence over transfers after clashing with the club’s US ownership, the COH Sports Group, over their shift towards artificial intelligence-led recruitment. That strategy has backfired, and owners are now backing Wilder’s more traditional approach.
The club confirmed Sellés’s departure in a statement on Sunday afternoon, citing a review of recent performances and the feelings of supporters. “After a disappointing start to the Championship campaign, Rubén Sellés has been relieved of his duties as manager,” the statement read. “A new manager will be named in due course.”
Wilder’s return is expected imminently, with co-chair Steven Rosen reportedly present for the humiliating defeat at Portman Road. The Blades hope the reappointment will revive their fortunes as they look to climb off the foot of the table.
