Sheffield United: '˜Becoming a Blade put my career back on track'

The on-loan centre-half, speaking ahead of today’s visit to Walsall, insisted his performances since joining Chris Wilder’s side persuaded Wolverhampton Wanderers to award him a new long-term contract.

But like Wilder, Ebanks-Landell appeared to suggest he could still be destined to remain at Bramall Lane beyond the end of the season when his temporary agreement with United expires.

“I thank Sheffield United loads. I could have been sat at Wolves not playing and then wouldn’t have got a new contract,” Ebanks-Landell, who is now tied to Molineux until 2020, said. “Because, in my head, I wouldn’t have deserved one. It’s happened because I’m playing here.”

“They’ve seen that I’ve been playing reasonably well at Sheffield United and that I deserve a deal,” he added. “I’d like to think that they wouldn’t have given me one just for the sake of it.”

Ebanks-Landell, who admitted he was “buzzing” after discovering that Wolves would allow him to spend the rest of the campaign with the League One leaders, had been set to become a free agent this summer.

“Anything could happen in pre-season,” he said. “I don’t know what will happen until I go back there. But I’ve got that contract. I’m buzzing, I’ve always said that I want to be here for the full season. It was always a possibility because you never know what might happen but everyone agreed that the worst thing for me was to go back and then not play. I’m happy here and pleased to be staying.”

United head to the Banks’s Stadium hoping to record their seventh straight victory but knowing that Walsall have already beaten them twice this season.

Ebanks-Landell, who won promotion to the Championship with Wolves three years ago, said: “It was great doing it with Wolves and that’s a massive carrot now. Hopefully promotion first and then whatever happens after that.”