Prince Abdullah has insisted he will support Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder in the winter transfer window with “anything he needs” but promised to spend wisely.
On Monday a bitter 18-month battle for the ownership of the Blades ended after a High Court judge ruled Kevin McCabe must sell his share of the club to his co-owner – who bought 50 per cent in 2013 – for £5 million.
Sheffield United’s owner Prince Abdullah will now focus on the future and try to help his manager, who has won two promotions at Bramall Lane, keep the club in the top flight.
“Chris is a great coach and will get better and is getting better. For us it’s lucky we find a coach like Chris,” he told Sky Sports.
“The transfer budget for this year was £30 million and I fought hard with my ex-partner, and you can ask Chris Wilder, to increase to £40 million.
“It’s much more than many Premier League clubs have spent and in January we will have to look at our position in the table and I will have to talk to Chris and we’ll do anything Chris needs.
“Always you have to remember to be reasonable and responsible because look at the clubs promoted from the Championship; Norwich, us and Aston Villa. If you look Norwich and Sheffield United are doing better than Aston Villa and Fulham who spent £100 million.
“It’s not about spending, it’s about spending wisely, but it’s about also getting ready if we are relegated. We don’t want to buy players who will leave if we get relegated because Sheffield United is a Premier League club.
“We will do whatever is needed in January, but we will always be cautious and prepared for the future.”
The judge also said Prince Abdullah’s UTB firm will have to buy the club’s property assets, which include Bramall Lane stadium and the Sheffield United hotel, from Sheffield United Ltd.
Prince Abdullah added: “Bramall Lane is Bramall Lane, for me the most prestigious stadium in the world and we will only make it better.
“We can make fan experience much better and we will work on every angle of the club to make it better. It will take a lot of work, but I think facilities can be better, all the light things.
“The boxes can be better, the store can be much better. Sheffield United as a club deserves better facilities and the management deserve better than they had before.”
But the Saudi prince will not plan on increasing his presence at Bramall Lane, yet revealed his son-in-law would be there alongside his daughter.
“I have seen every game in the past three to four years. Even when I was president of biggest club in Saudi and I don’t like to attend games really,” Prince Abdullah said.
“I like to watch games on TV, on mute on alone, if we lose no one talk to me and I have to forget about it.
“I intend to appoint my son-in law as chairman and he and my daughter will move to Sheffield and live there and they will be be all the games.”
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here