Chris Wilder could not contain the excitement in his voice. "It feels imminent," said Sheffield United's manager. "It's getting pretty close."
Wilder was referring to his club's protracted takeover by the American consortium, COH Sports. At long last that particular saga has reached a conclusion, with the two key investors, Steven Rosen and Helmy Eltoukhy, joining United's board as co-chairmen after the buyout of Prince Abdullah bin Mosaad's United World Group was confirmed on Monday.
As Wilder aims to reinforce his team's position at the top of the Championship while retaining his best players, most notably the midfielder Gustavo Hamer, the new owners are arriving at an opportune moment. "I do think we need to strengthen in January," said Wilder as he seeks to lead United to a third promotion in six years.
But the manager is conscious that a team that began the season with a two-point deduction for defaulted transfer payments faces some potentially challenging festive fixtures, starting with Burnley's visit on Boxing Day. Scott Parker's side sit third, four points behind Wilder's and one in arrears of second-place Leeds. "It's a huge game for us," said the former England midfielder, whose team are unbeaten in nine games. "But we're on a very good run."
How Wayne Rooney and Frank Lampard must wish they could say the same. The one-time England teammates meet at Coventry where the recently installed Lampard is charged with improving on his team's 17th position and Rooney aims to lift Plymouth off the bottom of the table.
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة December 26, 2024 من The Guardian.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة December 26, 2024 من The Guardian.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
Money hacks Annuities are back in vogue - here's how to get best value
'The stability of a guaranteed income gives retirees peace of mind their money won't run out, even if they live past 100'
The Filter Slow cookers for easy and low-cost cooking
Coming home to a warm meal made with very little effort - is a real treat in the cold and dark months.
Lifetime Isas Is popular savings scheme no longer fit for purpose?
It appears to be proving a hit with millennials and generation Z but has also come under fire for the \"unfair\" sting in its tail.
Mega-trial £2.1bn fight over planes stranded in Russia
Sitting in a nondescript building near the high court in Dublin, about 40 cloaked barristers have gathered almost daily since June last year.
Tax returns Expert tips on getting self-assessment right
With the online deadline just days away, Rupert Jones asks for advice on avoiding the pitfalls and making the most of what you can claim
Earls Court Plans for £10bn renewal await green light
On a damp winter's day, there are few signs of activity on the huge, empty triangle of land in west London that was once home to the Earls Court exhibition centre with its distinctive art deco facade.
Zuckerberg 'let Meta train AI models on pirated books'
Mark Zuckerberg approved Meta's use of \"pirated\" versions of copyright-protected books to train the company's artificial intelligence models, a group of authors has alleged in a US court filing.
Tax changes will inflate food prices, says Sainsbury's chief
Changes to employers' national insurance contributions announced in the government's October budget will drive inflation, particularly on fresh food, according to the chief executive of Sainsbury's as he announced a 5% pay rise for workers.
Strikes every Sunday until May to disrupt Avanti services
Passengers have been warned of disruption to Avanti West Coast rail services every Sunday from tomorrow until the end of May.
Sand grab On the frontline of the battle for shade on Australia's best beach spots
Emerging from the water at Victoria's Safety Beach, Virginia Mamakis settles on the sand under her family's orange-striped cabana.
