Chris Wilder has confirmed that the club has no intention of bringing Mark Duffy back into the fold at Bramall Lane.
Duffy left the club in the summer. After seemingly upsetting Wilder with a demand for a new deal, he was farmed out to Stoke City on a season-long loan deal.
However, things haven’t gone to plan for Duffy with the Potters. He’s made just a handful of appearances and new manager, Michael O’Neill, is thought to be keen to send him back.
But speaking ahead of United’s trip to Man City this weekend, Wilder confirmed Duffy won’t be back and is indeed free to leave.
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Duffy was a key figure for the Blades as they rose from League One and the Championship. Indeed, Wilder even said in the summer he was looking forward to seeing lifelong Liverpool fan Duffy strut his stuff at Anfield.
However, the Blades have now moved on. Duffy will no doubt be looking on with some resentment.
A sad end to a brilliant time
Cutting through anything that has gone off between Wilder and Duffy, this is a sad way for things to end.
The midfielder has almost cult status at Bramall Lane. This is, in part, thanks to his stunning goal at Hillsborough just a few seasons ago. He fired into the top corner to put the Blades 3-2 up and the rest, as they say, is history.
His decision in the summer to upset the apple cart has backfired. Chris Wilder has always said the club will offer new deals when necessary. Duffy, then, tried his luck and failed with his own ask.
Furthermore, he joined a club in the summer who somewhat of a sinking ship. Stoke are stuck near the bottom of the table and Nathan Jones has lost his job. It was never going to work for Mark Duffy, in hindsight.
It’s a crying shame to see a player once loved by Blades fans and Wilder, being shown the door.