Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder admits David McGoldrick's retirement is a "bonus" for them.
McGoldrick announced his international retirement on Wednesday, with the 32-year old having earned 14 caps for the Republic of Ireland.
Blades boss Wilder said: “He's made that decision. An obvious benefit for us is that he's with us and can concentrate on his club career. He's given so much to this football club and there's so much more for him to do."
United go into Saturday's game against Chelsea second-bottom in the Premier League after narrow defeats by Liverpool and Manchester City in their last two games.
Wilder said: “The last two games have been difficult in terms of results, but very, very encouraging in terms of performances. It's a great challenge for us on Saturday evening."