Sheffield United confirm key departure as long-serving man leaves amid vital reshape

Sheffield United's key restructuring of their recruitment department has begun with the early departure of the man who led it, which was confirmed this afternoon. Head of recruitment Paul Mitchell has left Bramall Lane by mutual consent.

Mitchell was a key ally of boss Chris Wilder, who brought him to the club upon his appointment back in 2016. Mitchell's contract was set to expire in the summer but he has departed early due to personal reasons after discussions with the United hierarchy.

Inside Berge's transfer exit after reports boss was unaware of deal

Stephen Bettis, United's chief executive, said: “The timing of the change suits both parties and we are now working towards having a new team in place ahead of the summer transfer window.

“On behalf of the board and the club, I’d like to place on record our thanks to Mitch for his hard work and dedication to the club. He is well-known and respected in the city and the football fraternity, and we wish him well.”

United are keen to reshape their approach to recruitment after entering into an agreement with Off The Pitch last month which gives them access to "advanced analytics tools" provided by the Danish company and helps them benchmark against other clubs, both domestically and internationally. United's head of football administration said the partnership "opens a realm of opportunities for Sheffield United" and described it as "a step towards a more analytical approach in our business, commercial development, and player trading strategies."