Sheffield United: Chris Wilder reveals how new signing Samir Carruthers earned his respect

Citing Carruthers’ ability as the catalyst for his move to Sheffield United, Wilder explained why he is confident the 23-year-old will fit seamlessly into a dressing room known for its impregnable team spirit.

“We’ve spoken to other pro’s about Samir, including lads at our place, about that they think,” the United manager said. “And they’ve all told us he is a quality player, very tough to compete against. Samir is a quality performer and, as far as we’re concerned, there’s even more to come from him. He ticks all the boxes for what we want here at this football club, including the right character, desire and attitude.”

Carruthers, who has agreed a three-and-a-half year contract with United, was officially unveiled by the League One leaders earlier today. Wilder has aborted at least two proposed transfers since being appointed in May and, speaking after the midfielder’s arrival, made no secret of the fact he was impressed by Carruthers’ decision to prioritise football over finance.

“Samir was coming towards the end of his deal down there and, arguably, could have waited until it ran out to put himself in a better position money-wise,” Wilder continued. “But that’s not something he was interested in doing which tells you all you need to know. Samir made it clear he wanted to come and that he was excited about the prospect of representing this club, of playing at Bramall Lane.”

Carruthers started his professional career with Aston Villa after leaving Arsenal’s youth system before making his debut in a draw with Liverpool four seasons ago. He joined Dons on a permanent basis in August 2014 and was a member of the squad which after finishing second in League One, competed at Championship level last term.

That experience, combined with his talent as an attacking midfielder, saw him earmarked as someone capable of helping Wilder implement his long-term strategy to revive United’s fortunes.

“Samir is someone we’ve been tracking for quite a while,” Wilder said. “Sometimes, you bring people in to make an immediate impact and there’s nothing wrong with that. Samir can make an impact because of his ability but he’s also someone for the long-term who we think can grow with this football club.”