Sheffield United's retained list timescale as promotion hero's departure signals end of an era

Sheffield United fans will be able to pay an emotional farewell to the players who are departing this summer, at Sunday’s final home game of the season at home to Tottenham Hotspur. The Blades plan to indicate who will be released this week, avoiding a repeat of last year’s situation when their retained list was confirmed after the season had concluded.

That meant club favourites including Billy Sharp, Enda Stevens and Jack O’Connell were denied a Bramall Lane send-off last season. This time around double promotion winner Ollie Norwood will head the list of departures, as The Star revealed this morning, while a host of other veterans of boss Chris Wilder’s first tenure in charge are facing uncertain futures.

Transfer interest in United midfielder after "different planet" claim

Some of the players leaving were informed of their fate before the weekend’s defeat at Everton, with more to be addressed this week ahead of the final curtain this weekend at home to Spurs. As well as those who will be released, United will also wave goodbye to their contingent of loan players - which effectively includes Cameron Archer, who will be returning to Aston Villa after United’s relegation back to the Championship.

“There’s some we have talked to and some we have plans to talk to and we will do before next Sunday,” boss Wilder confirmed. “Come Wednesday or Thursday, I think we will be able to publicly talk about who is staying, who is going to be on the journey and who will depart - and we’ll say thank you very much for their efforts in terms of what they have achieved for the football club.”

Double promotion winner leads "ruthless" United summer exodus

United remain hopeful that strikers Daniel Jebbison and Oli McBurnie will put pen-to-paper on new deals at Bramall Lane, while Jayden Bogle is set to remain at the club for at least another season. The defender has an option clause in his contract but the Blades are keen to tie him down to a longer-term deal after some good individual displays in an otherwise poor season for the club.

George Baldock, John Egan and Chris Basham are amongst the other crowd favourites who are out of contract this summer.