Sheffield United Sign Nigerian Winger Ehije Ukaki on Three-Year Deal

Sheffield United have signed 20-year-old Nigerian winger Ehije Success Ukaki from Bulgarian top-flight club Botev Plovdiv on a three-year contract, marking the club's first signing of the summer transfer window. Ukaki is the second Nigerian recruited through Sheffield United's AI-powered data-driven recruitment strategy, which identifies emerging talents based on performance metrics such as pace, dribbling, and tactical awareness. Last season, Ukaki scored seven goals in 37 appearances for Botev Plovdiv and gained experience in European competition qualifiers. Manager Chris Wilder expressed confidence in Ukaki's potential and emphasized the club's commitment to developing young players, despite some fan skepticism about the effectiveness of the AI recruitment model. Ukaki will join Sheffield United's pre-season training and is expected to bring fresh energy and creativity to the team's attacking options in the Championship next season. The club is rebuilding following a playoff loss in the 2024/25 season and aims to leverage data-driven scouting to strengthen the squad.