"Isn't a Premier League level player" - Sheffield United urged to make difficult decision on Bramall Lane favourite | OneFootball

FLW's Sheffield United fan pundit is unsure whether Jack Robinson's contract will be renewed at Bramall Lane.

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Jack Robinson is just one of a number of Sheffield United players who are in the final year of their contract at Bramall Lane, which leaves Chris Wilder and co. with tough decisions to make in the coming months.

With Anel Ahmedhodzic's future up in the air during the summer, and both Chris Basham and John Egan leaving the club, Wilder's pool of options at centre-back looked thin on the ground. However, Robinson's place in the pecking order is still not what it was last season in the top-flight.

Robinson was an important asset to Wilder's Sheffield United side last season, making 34 Premier League appearances and even wearing the captain's armband on a number of occasions. He has been a good servant to the club over the last few seasons and is likely to be a vital player on and off the pitch this season.

He could be preparing for his last at the club with his contract set to expire next summer. However, he was one of the first names on the teamsheet last season, as well as being a key part of a new-look leadership group, given the sheer amount of experience that has left the club this summer.

The club have lost 100s of appearances for Sheffield United from the dressing room, and the likes of Robinson will be crucial to setting standards and keeping team morale high. The 31-year-old utility player has operated as a centre-back in a back two, a back three, or at left-back throughout his career.

He's been a regular fixture since Wilder's return but they have a tough decision to make over the course of the season, which is perhaps dependent on how frequently he is able to contribute on the pitch.

Irrespective of how often Robinson starts, he serves as a vital piece of experience in what is a largely youthful Sheffield United squad. However, the presence of Ahmedhodzic and Harry Souttar is likely to mean starting opportunities are limited this season.

Despite recently returning to the bench, he could find it difficult to earn a place back in the starting line-up, so he may be limited to serving as a trusted and proven rotational piece for Wilder to call upon. The defender has been at the club for five years this January, but could yet be set to leave Bramall Lane.

FLW's Blades fan pundit, Jimmy from the Blades Ramble YouTube channel was asked for his thoughts on the situation regarding Robinson's long-term future at Bramall Lane, and believes that the situation may depend on which league the club find themselves in by the end of the 2024/25 campaign.

He said: "It's controversial, this.

"And I think I will be in the minority, but I would not renew Jack Robinson's contract.

"Particularly if we get promoted to the Premier League.

"There is a case to argue that we keep him if we don't go up; however, if we do, then I certainly wouldn't be renewing it.

"I think he'll be 32 then, and he is on good money.

"Although he won the Player of the Year last season, I still don't think he's a Premier League player.

"I think if we are to be progressing as a club, then we need to be upping the levels of quality within the squad.

The case for keeping Jack Robinson at Bramall Lane

Robinson has missed a decent portion of the season through injury, which is a shame for him after adapting to life as captain on the field. Robinson has featured on just two occasions in the Championship so far this season, having missed the last month or so with a muscle injury. Vini Souza has captained the Blades in the absence of Robinson and Oli Arblaster.

For the most part, he is a player that many Sheffield United supporters will not want to see depart the club in 2025, especially given the number of popular figures that left the club during the summer. Robinson has been an excellent servant to the club in recent years and know-how and experience can be vital to a squad behind the scenes and in the dressing room.

Having signed for the club back in January 2020, the 31-year-old centre-back played a big part in helping the club secure promotion to the Premier League in 2022/23 and has been a consistent performer at Championship level during his time in South Yorkshire.

There's still a good chance that Robinson will secure a decent amount of game time under his belt because there's a real chance that one of Ahmedhodzic or Souttar will become unavailable at some point. In the meantime, he may spend the foreseeable future on the bench.

If he doesn't end up starting most games between now and the end of this term, it will be interesting to see whether he's offered a new deal and whether it will be dependent on which league the club find themselves in by May.