Sheffield United: Chris Wilder set to decide on Alex Davey future as centre half search continues

Davey joined the League One club on trial from Chelsea yesterday and before featuring during last night’s friendly at Handsworth Parramore.

The former Scotland youth international is set to continue training with United before Wilder decides on his future before August 6’s game against Bolton Wanderers.

Despite recruiting Jack O’Connell, James Wilson and Jake Wright this summer, Wilder told The Star: “I think we’d all agree that if you are at a club like Chelsea you’ve got to have something about you. We appreciate Chelsea letting him come up to spend a few days with us.

“I want two right footed (centre-halves) and two left footed ones. I know Bash (Chris Basham) can slot in there but ideally I don’t want him moving out of midfield. I want genuine competition.”

Davey, aged 21, enjoyed few opportunities to impress at Sandy Lane as United completed their warm-up programme with a 5-1 victory over Parramore. But Wilder added: “Sometimes, it’s the non-football things which tell you the most about somebody. For him to come up on a train in the morning, Alex didn’t think ‘I’m at Chelsea, I’m not doing that.’ We’ve asked a few to do the same and they’ve turned it down. As soon as they do that, I write that name down and put a big black line through it. Scratch it right off the list.”

Che Adams also featured at Parramore and wrote his name on the scoresheet hours after being the subject of another failed bid, potentially worth £1.7m, from Birmingham City.

Sources close to St Andrews report Gary Rowett, Wilder’s counterpart at City, remains interested in Adams and will meet his board of directors to discuss their next move shortly.

“Che’s played and so, until something else happens, we’ll sit tight,” Wilder said. “Che is still part of our group. Whether they find themselves with us or elsewhere, we don’t ask a lot. Just that they keep themselves going and motivated. Che’s attitude has been really good out there.”