Sheffield United boss makes Daniel Jebbison contract admission amid Everton interest

Paul Heckingbottom has admitted Sheffield United are “in conversations” with Daniel Jebbison about extending his contract at Bramall Lane. The teenage starlet is out of contract next summer and a host of top European clubs have previously been credited with transfer interest, including the likes of Juventus and Borussia Dortmund.

Closer to home Newcastle, Tottenham and Aston Villa are also reportedly keeping an eye on Jebbison’s progress, while Everton - the side Jebbison made history against with his winning goal when United were last in the Premier League - have previously seen an offer rejected for the England U20 man, who owner Prince Abdullah described as “the future of the club”.

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It is becoming standard practice for United to insert options into player contracts giving them the power to trigger automatic one-year extensions but even if Jebbison’s deal - the first professional contract he signed, back in 2021 - does contain such a clause, it will do little to dissuade top clubs from pursuing him and United understand that a long-term extension would be in their best interests.

“I haven’t opened any talks with him, but of course we are in conversations,” Heckingbottom said of the 19-year-old’s contract situation. “We have a lot of players who are in the last 12 months of their contract and we have to be mindful of that, of course we do. But with that comes an extra cost as well.

“It’s not a naivety; this situation is because of problems, and we know that. We have to try and rectify that over time. We did our bit last season, with the promotion, to ease some of the pressures. They are still there but you still have to look at the long-term health of the club, which is really important.”

Jebbison is one of a number of players who are scheduled to become free agents in less than 12 months as thing stand, including star man Sander Berge and key men such as John Egan, George Baldock and Oli McBurnie, whose one-year option was taken up by the Blades earlier this summer. Some will have options but Berge’s contract does not, leaving United running the risk of losing their £22m former record signing for nothing at the end of next season.