Chris Wilder has confirmed that Mark Duffy will not play for Sheffield United again.
Duffy could well have his season-long loan from Stoke City cut short in January having failed to make an impression under manager Michael O’Neill.
However, that will not mean the 34-year-old is offered another opportunity at Bramall Lane. Things turned extremely sour between Duffy and Wilder over the summer when the former asked for a new contract.
The attacking midfielder swiftly exited the club and joined Stoke. Yet he has managed just six Championship appearances for the struggling Potters since then. Only two have been starts.
With his contract up at the end of this season, Wilder says Duffy is free to leave.
What Sheffield United fans think about latest Duffy news
(Photo by Lewis Storey/Getty Images)
Duffy was an extremely important part of the Blades’ rise through the divisions under Wilder. Joining from Birmingham City the summer after the 52-year-old took charge, he played 121 times for United – coinciding with two promotions.
Perhaps his most iconic individual moment in a Blades shirt came at Hillsborough during the 2017/18 season. Newly promoted from League One, United beat fierce rivals Sheffield Wednesday 4-2 in their own back yard. Duffy was on target.
So it is a sad way for things to end for such a previously important player under Wilder. Many supporters are unhappy it’s ended like this.
What a sad series of events for a player that was key to our rise to the PL and for that goal at Hillsborough.
— George (@jooji_marsh) December 27, 2019
Was sad to hear when Duffy was shipped off to Stoke, but Wilder explained the reasons behind this and I totally agreed with the decision. All the players under contract was given a rise to Premier league wages, with a drop down if relegated. Duffy lost out by his own doing
— Mark ⚽️⚔🔴⚪⚫UTB (@mark_sheffield) December 27, 2019
Would have been a great impact player off the bench this season, esp a game like yday when you need a player who can actually run past other players
— MazMarriott (@maz_marriott82) December 27, 2019
He will be a good signing for someone, especially on a free. It hasn’t worked at Stoke but they were a basket case when he signed and clearly he hasn’t done enough to get a regular place. Maybe somewhere closer to home Fleetwood perhaps, to link back up with Couttsy?
— Spare Tyre (@averageguy6) December 27, 2019
Really shot himself in the foot there. Hell regret that for life. Can’t even get on the bench at Stoke. Shocking. But like someone else has said, as brilliant as he was, and as important as he was last season, we haven’t missed him this year, we’ve got such a great squad.
— Si-lent Night (@bromley001) December 27, 2019