Chris Wilder makes Oli McBurnie transfer clear with should be at Sheffield United message

The 29-year-old striker has bagged seven goals and three assists this season, more than any other forward in the top four divisions

Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder says Hull City striker Oli McBurnie should be his number nine, and not banging in the goals for the Tigers, ahead of their meeting at the MKM Stadium this weekend. McBurnie held talks with his former club in the summer but Ruben Selles, the ex-Tigers head coach who was in charge at Bramall Lane, opted against signing him on a free transfer. The 29-year-old was City’s primary summer target and they managed to snap him up, ahead of United and another of his former clubs, Swansea City, and it's proved to be one of their best pieces of business in years with him well on the way to repaying their faith. His seven goals and three assists in the early weeks of the season have been fundamental to the Tigers’ bright start to the new season, and he bagged his second brace in Tigers colours in the comeback draw with Preston North End on Tuesday night to cap what has been the best start to any season in his professional career. Now back in the Bramall Lane dugout after Selles' exit, Wilder worked with McBurnie at Bramall Lane, having paid £20m to sign him from Swansea in 2019, and appeared less than impressed that Selles passed up the chance to bring the forward back to the Steel City. The United chief will watch Saturday’s Yorkshire derby from the MKM Stadium stands after his sending off in Tuesday’s defeat to Southampton, and will hope that the transfer decision does not come back to bite the Blades, who have lost two of their three since his return, and remain rooted to the foot of the table.

“He should have a red and white shirt on in my opinion, and he was available," the Blades boss said ahead of the trip to East Yorkshire. "There was always talk about Kieffer (Moore) going, and I think everyone recognises the horses-for-courses nature of it. Different ways of playing and different forwards I've always gone with.

“We've got link players. We've got Callum O’Hare, we've got Gus Hamer. We’ve got players that stretch the game in terms of Tyrese Campbell, but always, for us, a number nine in the building will give us the different options.

“There was always a chance that Kieffer would go in the summer, especially when the deal was made and became available. Obviously, I wasn’t here at the time, but speaking to Steve [Bettis, chief executive at Bramall Lane], Kieffer wanted to go (to Wrexham), and the new manager didn’t feel he was part of the plan, so it was a good bit of business by Steve.

“Kieffer got an extended deal, and I think he got a couple more quid as well. I’m not being critical of him because he contributed to our 92 points last season, but I would have always been looking for a number nine, and Oli was available.

“He's somebody that I keep in contact with quite regularly. I'm a fan, not just as a player, as a personality. I thought he made a great contribution to our ninth-place finish but there was always criticism of Oli by certain, real small sections of our support.

“But the contribution he made, getting the team back up, getting the team to a play-off semi-final, getting the team to an FA Cup semi-final ... contributions as a culture setter in the changing room, as a player, as a person. When people talk about the financial aspects, we paid £8m for Moose [Lys Mousset] and we paid £18 million for Oli McBurnie.

“We finished ninth in the Premier League and by the way, from 17th to ninth, there's a lot of solidarity payments there. So those boys at times pay for themselves in terms of what they contribute to getting to that position. I think Oli was a big part of that, scoring some crucial goals."

McBurnie had the pick of a host of clubs, including United, but it's thought Selles was not keen on bringing in McBurnie, instead opting to go in a different direction, a decision Wilder regrets the club making.

“I love him to bits as a lad, I love him to bits as a player, and he should have a Sheff United number nine shirt on at this particular moment. I know Steve Bettis tried to get him in. Steve is close to him as well, and I think he offered the chance to the manager (Selles) to come in off his own back, to come in pre-season and show what he had. I think there was not enough enthusiasm for that to happen.

“He had Ipswich Town in for him, I know he had other options to go to, and Hull City made him a deal that he wanted to take. I'm not being disrespectful to anyone, but the affinity and the affection he has for this football club is clear.

“For him to come in and want to do a pre-season, basically a trial, to show what he's about, I think showed his enthusiasm and his desire to come in. But that's gone, and we've seen what he's doing now. So unfortunately, he's not our player, he's Hull City's player.”

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