Oliver Arblaster, a Sheffield United player, has signed a new, long-term contract.
The highly-regarded prospect midfielder was added as a substitute for Sheffield United’s match against Brighton & Hove Albion this past weekend. Despite being connected to Liverpool, he has now pledged his allegiance to the Blades.
“I am thrilled to finally sign a long-term contract with my boyhood club,” he declared. I am eager to get started. As far as I can tell, the manager has faith in individuals like Will (Osula) and Brooksy (Andre Brooks). They have committed to long-term contracts, and I hope to earn back his trust by doing well on the pitch.
“Academy football can help you grow so much, but when you play men’s football, you realise how hard it is to play Tuesday through Saturday. I feel like I have learned a lot over the past 12 months, both on and off the pitch. You see how determined it is to get three points.
“It seems like an age to have been here for twelve years! Now that I’ve inked a new long-term contract, I feel like the effort I’ve put in to get here has paid off, but I still have to work hard to establish myself in the starting lineup.”
Under the guidance of former Blades coach Andy Crosby, Arblaster made an impression during his first half of the season while on loan at Port Vale. In January, the Championship expressed interest in hiring him, but Wilder insisted that the 20-year-old remain at Bramall Lane.
“We want him around us and involved in the changing room,” stated Wilder, “but I had two or three Championship clubs come in for him to take him on loan.” I’ve discussed getting to know the culture with him.
“We’ve sent out a couple because we felt it was the right thing to do, and Ollie is definitely one of the couples we feel will be better involved with us and get to know what we demand of them.
“He’s a fantastic young player; his injury at Port Vale did cause us a little bit of a setback, but he’s worked extremely hard to recover.”
“We are happy to have players who not only have that attitude but also that ability coming through. There is no downside to that. We must ensure that the path is clear and that our academy is strong in that regard. We need to continue developing new players and giving them a chance to play.”
