Sheffield United’s AI-driven recruitment approach has been criticized after it was revealed that up to four of the players signed last summer might possibly leave the club.

For the time being, relegation appears to be out of the question, but there is no denying that Sheffield United’s first half of the season was a nightmare.

The decision to replace Chris Wilder with Ruben Selles at the close of the 2024-25 season had an immediate negative impact on the team, which was remedied by firing Selles and rehiring Wilder in September.

These missteps persisted throughout their transfer policy throughout the summer. Under the advice of consultant and former professional gambler James Bord, the Blades used an AI-driven recruitment model to identify new players, but with half of the season already played, the folly of doing so has become increasingly clear, with reports that four of the players they brought in during the summer – Alex Matos, Mihail Polendakov, Christian Nwachukwu, and Ehije Ukaki – may all leave again in the January transfer window.

“The closing of a terrible chapter”: Sheffield United’s AI transfer policy is criticized.

Football League World spoke with our resident Blades fan pundit Jimmy about these departures, and Jimmy is relieved to see the end of the AI-driven transfer model: “Hopefully, this marks the end of a bad chapter for Sheffield United. The AI model managed by James Bord has been a complete failure.

Jimmy sees the worth in Alex Matos and believes that a spell away from Bramall Lane will benefit both the player and the club: “I do not believe Matos was necessarily an AI signing. I think he’s the standout. We’ve paid money for him. He has a solid pedigree, having come through at Chelsea and previously performed well at Oxford and Huddersfield. So perhaps if we loan him away, he will keep some worth and then return to Sheffield United to do a job or raise his value.”

Jimmy has little sympathy for the other three players, with the exception of Chris Wilder, who will have to go through another reconstruction this month: “But the rest of them have been miles away. It’s completely off the mark. And it’s been so disappointing that we’ve squandered a good opportunity. Chris Wilder will be furious, but he was not at the club, so he bears no responsibility for any of these, and he will be as frustrated as the rest of us. However, the reconstruction begins this month. Let us see what he can do.

Sheffield Wednesday fans may be concerned about the failure of the AI-driven model at Bramall Lane.

There is little doubt that Sheffield United had a catastrophic summer, with the additions of Alex Matos, Mihail Polendakov, Christian Nwachukwu, and Ehije Ukaki clearly failing to work out.

If anything, Matos has had the most success of the four. He’s made eight appearances for the Blades, three of which were starts. Matos joined the Blades for a reputed sum of about £1 million on transfer deadline day.

However, the other three players have only made one first-team appearance this season, with Ehije Ukaki appearing for them in their 2-1 Carabao Cup defeat to Birmingham City in August. Many Blades supporters may not have even noticed their exits.

James Bord, who oversaw everything, is now the preferred bidder for Sheffield Wednesday, which may satisfy Sheffield United fans more than the performances of some of the players his model selected over the summer.

Wednesday fans will be praying that Bord does not attempt to use a similar approach at Hillsborough if he takes over their club, or that his model works better the next time around, based on his prior record at Bramall Lane.