Sheffield United: Blades back in transfer talks with target

Although manager Nigel Adkins admitted to being “frustrated” when none of the players he had identified arrived before last week’s transfer deadline, he revealed at least one could still be unveiled following discussions with his parent club.

“Something is still alive, still available,” Adkins told The Star.

“We’ll go back to that when the market opens again and try to get something done because it’s a definite possibility.”

Adkins, who refused to confirm whether Fulham defender Dan Burn is the individual in question, acknowledged United will conduct a review into how their recruitment plans are implemented at the end of the season.

But he refused to apologise for their decision not to make at least one permanent acquisition ahead of the League One fixture with Wigan Athletic two days ago.

“It’s important we reflect on what happened,” Adkins said. “But I wasn’t prepared to bring someone in for the sake of it. Whoever came in had to make a difference straight away.”

“At times, you see people actually sign players, then realise they aren’t quite right, aren’t contributing and then, a few months into a two-and-a-half-year contract, they’re looking to move them on.”

“The people we looked at are still possibilities, one, maybe, on loan. We tried to buy the players, not loan them.”

Burn, one of two centre-halves United pursued during the transfer window, was on the brink of moving to Bramall Lane earlier this term before an injury crisis at Craven Cottage and Fulham’s inability to recruit a replacement persuaded them to withdraw from the negotiating table.

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