Sheffield United have confirmed that five senior players will leave the club this summer when their deals expire as Chris Wilder begins to shape his squad for the Premier League.

The most notable exits see Martin Cranie and Paul Coutts leave, with Conor Washington, Daniel Lafferty and Caolan Lavery also following them out the door, the club confirmed on their official site this evening.

The decision to let Cranie and Coutts go will have no doubt been tough for Wilder, with the Scottish midfielder playing a crucial part in bringing the side back to the Championship in style.

And, 32-year-old Cranie was a reliable figure for the Blades this season, featuring 15 times as the side finished second, which included starting several crucial games in the run-in.

In further transfer developments, the club also confirmed that Leon Clarke, Jake Wright, Ched Evans, Samir Carruthers, Nathan Thomas, Ben Heneghan and Ricky Holmes had been placed on the transfer list.

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Meanwhile, five loan players, including Dean Henderson, have returned to their parent clubs, although the Yorkshire outfit are hoping to bring the stopper back to Bramall Lane after an impressive season.

The Verdict

This will have been a really tough moment for Wilder, particularly to top professionals like Cranie and Coutts who have helped the team so much.

However, that's his job and ultimately he has to do what's right for the football club with building a squad to play in the Premier League in mind.

So, even though it may seem harsh shortly after the team won promotion, you can't really argue with the calls made and it frees up space to add to the squad in the coming months.

Thoughts? Let us know in the comments below.