Exclusive: Liam Rosenior and Rubén Sellés on Sheffield United’s Radar if Chris Wilder Departs

Former Hull City managers Liam Rosenior and Ruben Selles are among the names being considered as possible replacements for Chris Wilder if Sheffield United’s new owners, COH Sports, decide to part company with the 57-year-old.

Despite writing his name into Bramall Lane’s history books - delivering two promotions and a ninth placed top-flight finish during the first of two spells in charge - sections of United’s board want to relieve Wilder of his duties as disagreements emerge over transfer policy.

COH, who purchased the club from Saudi Arabian HRH Prince Abdullah bin Mosa’ad bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, favour relying on artificial intelligence rather than human scouts to identify new signings; much to Wilder’s annoyance.

SportsBoom can exclusively reveal that Rosenior, now of Strasbourg, was one of two potential appointments the American consortium sounded out when they first tried to purchase United last summer. 

Scott Parker, who subsequently joined Burnley, was the other although a deal for Prince Abdullah’s shares was not eventually finalised until December.

Wilder excelled again last season, guiding United to third in the table and a mammoth 90 point total having been forced to piece together a squad almost from scratch. 

His team were also deducted two points because of financial issues which occurred under the previous regime. 

POPULAR FIGURE

But defeat in the Championship play-off final appears to have convinced some of those who have bought into COH that a change of direction is required - even though Wilder remains a hugely popular figure both on the terraces and inside the dressing room.

Controversially, Sheffield Wednesday chief Danny Rohl was initially viewed as a contender for the United job after they suffered a heartbreaking defeat to Sunderland at Wembley. 

However, hiring the German is now recognised as being a step too far given the outcry that would provoke on both sides of the Steel City.

Rosenior remains a person of interest, but could prove difficult to lure away from Alsace, where he nearly guided Les Bleu et Blanc into Europe last season.

Selles, previously of Reading, is also believed to boast admirers among COH after steering City to safety last month before being sacked. 

Rosenior achieved a seventh placed finish during his final campaign in East Yorkshire, only to also fall foul of City chairman Acun Ilicali’s impatience.

Wilder was initially keen to embrace AI when COH first proposed it as a recruitment tool. But when neither of the first two players hired using that system made an impression on his starting eleven, the lifelong United fan began expressing doubts about its increasingly prominent role behind the scenes at the club. 

Those doubts are only likely to have grown stronger when a third player from Bulgaria, which COH apparently regard as a fertile hunting ground for fresh talent, arrived at United this month.