Sheffield United begin process to terminate player’s deal early after ‘personal issue’
Chris Wilder has confirmed that Sheffield United are set to return Ben Godfrey to Atalanta, ending his loan spell.
Godfrey had joined Sheffield United in the summer as he looked to get his career back on track.
However, the centre-back has struggled in South Yorkshire and has only made four Championship appearances to date.
Since Wilder’s return to Sheffield United, Godfrey has only played once, during the 1-0 defeat to Charlton Athletic, and now he is set for a quick return to his parent club.
Chris Wilder: Ben Godfrey will return to Atalanta after personal issue arises
Back on 2 October, Wilder confirmed that Godfrey had been ruled out of the Blades’ recent matches due to a “personal issue”.
🎙️ Chris Wilder on Ben Godfrey
— The Bladesman (@The_Bladesman) October 2, 2025
“He’s got a personal issue at the moment so he’s not available for us.”
[sutv]#twitterblades #sufc
While it is unknown if this is still in play, it appears that the centre-back is not set to play for Sheffield United again.
When previewing the Birmingham City game, which is set to take place on Saturday, Wilder confirmed that the process has begun to send Godfrey back to Atalanta.
Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder says the process has begun to send Ben Godfrey back to Atalanta.
— Andy Giddings (@SportGids1) December 19, 2025
Nils Zatterstrom has also been made available for loan. #sufc | @footballheaven
It is unknown how long this will take, but it appears that his time at Bramall Lane is all but over.
Sheffield United look set for multiple exits in January
On top of Godfrey, the Blades could oversee multiple exits over the coming months.
Recent reports have suggested that Gustavo Hamer could leave Sheffield United if promotion does not occur this season.
- Godfrey joined Sheffield United on loan in the summer
- He has since fallen out of the starting XI, with a personal issue being citied as the reason by Wilder
- Now, Godfrey looks set to return to Atalanta, ending his stay at Bramall Lane
The midfielder has remained a crucial player for the Blades this campaign despite their struggles.
Patrick Bamford’s long-term future at Sheffield United is also unclear after the striker only signed a deal until January 2026.
Therefore, Wilder may be looking to overhaul his squad as he looks to drag the Blades back into promotion contention as soon as possible.
Hopefully, any changes to the squad in January can boost the possibility of this happening during the 2025-26 campaign.