Jairo Riedewald has signed a new one-year contract with Sheffield United, despite the fact that he appeared to be free to leave this summer.

The 29-year-old was instrumental in the Blades’ late-2025 form turnaround after being the first player Chris Wilder brought in during his third spell in command, and a hamstring injury in January coincided with their outside play-off ambitions beginning to fade.

As a result, it was thought that Riedewald would remain at Sheffield United for the upcoming season, especially when it was announced at the end of last season that he was willing to stay, and a full pre-season may lead to an even stronger year in the Bramall Lane engine room.

It was surprising that the Blades chose not to renew his contract, but even more surprising was that they reversed their initial decision, and the Dutchman will now stay for at least the 2026/27 season.

There will be several reasons why Sheffield United elected to keep Riedewald at the eleventh hour. Blades fans are left to guess on things in the aftermath of the contract signing, with some even saying that his return could be the result of another deal falling through.

Kalvin Phillips’ return to Sheffield United was tied to Jairo Riedewald’s first contract decision.

When Sheffield United announced that Riedewald would be released at the end of his contract, the Sheffield Star speculated that this would free up space in both the squad and the budget for the return of Kalvin Phillips, who spent the latter half of last season on loan from Manchester City.

Due to a lack of game time and injuries, the former Leeds United player has been unable to regain the brilliance he demonstrated in the heart of the midfield at Elland Road under Marcelo Bielsa since making the £42 million move across the Pennines.

Sheffield United was the 30-year-old’s third loan spell away from the Etihad Stadium, and it ended prematurely owing to injury, primarily as a result of playing only seven minutes of senior football for his parent club in the first half of the season.

Phillips suffered a knee injury after being sent off in the Steel City Derby in February, finishing his season after only three games in a dismal manner. Nonetheless, Chris Wilder revealed in April that he hopes to bring the midfielder back this summer.

Like Riedewald, there was hope that with a full pre-season behind him, he could finally rediscover the form that had earned him England call-ups for major tournaments in the past, but his high wages at Manchester City would prove to be a stumbling block, especially given that the Blades would begin the window without Premier League parachute payments.

Nonetheless, they would focus on overcoming that obstacle throughout the offseason. According to reports from last month, Sheffield United are in advanced talks to bring him back, and Phillips is eager to return.

Sheffield United’s recent U-turn on Jairo Riedewald may signal the end of Kalvin Phillips’ pursuit.

The rumours about the advanced talks to bring Phillips back to Sheffield United are more than a week ago, and with no white smoke, there will be some concern that the talks have stalled.

Announcing Riedewald’s fairly unexpected extension, given his release was a major reason in the club’s ability to sign the City midfielder, could exacerbate those concerns even more.

Some Sheffield United fans may prefer to keep the Dutchman for another year rather than utilise a loan space on Phillips, who many believe is incapable of playing a significant role in a long season without being injured.

While there was some doubt about Riedewald’s injury record last season, his hamstring injury only kept him out for a few months, and he still made 25 league appearances in the 37 games he was with the club, which is a better record than Phillips’.

Alternatively, this could indicate that, following some further departures and a restructure of the wage structure at Bramall Lane, the Blades can afford both, which would be a significant boost, especially considering the possibility that Chris Wilder will lose Sydie Peck between now and the window’s closure.

In any case, the entire scenario surrounding the release-turned-extension has left many things unanswered, and only time will tell if Riedewald’s return will mark the end of Phillips.