Sheffield United: Morgan Gibbs-White situation could shape future loan deals

The 22-year-old is scheduled to return to Wolverhampton Wanderers at the end of the season whether United gain promotion from the Championship or not, with Heckingbottom acknowledging the better he plays the more it diminishes the club’s chances of signing him.

Speaking ahead of tomorrow’s visit to Coventry City, Heckingbottom admitted that, ideally, United would prefer to ensure they gain more benefit from the work they put into developing players like Gibbs-White who has scored eight goals since leaving Molineux.

But he told The Star: “If there’s the potential to do something, to have an option written in saying we could get someone for a guaranteed fee, then of course we’d rather do that.

“But it’s not always possible. In fact, it’s rarely possible to be fair. Let’s say for example we’re speaking to Manchester City and they tell us we can have their best youngster. Do we then turn round to them and say ‘We’re only taking him if we can sign him’? They’d turn around and tell us he could be worth £200m. But we know he’d make us better, so much better, for a season. So do we just walk away?”

Together with captain Billy Sharp, whose contract is set to expire at the end of the campaign, Gibbs-White has emerged as the creative force behind United’s climb from 16th to fifth under Heckingbottom.

“I speak to Morgan all the time,” Heckingbottom said. “I talk to him about here - he loves it here by the way - and also about Wolves.

“He’s in charge of what he does at the end of the day because, as a footballer, I suppose you are sort of self-employed. There’s lots of things we talk about - building his brand, managers, people.”

“Unless there’s an option in there, then everything else is irrelevant,” Heckingbottom added. “People can ask about Morgan being here next season. It’s hypothetical. I can’t answer that can I, because it’s not up to us. It’s not in our control.

“The only way I can is by saying, of course I’d love to work with Morgan going forward more. But it’s not up to us.”

United could be without another loanee - Brentford’s Charlie Goode - against Mark Robins’ side, while John Fleck, George Baldock, Chris Basham and Rhian Brewster are among those also unavailable for selection.

Goode completed a three match suspension following Tuesday’s win over Middlesbrough. But Heckingbottom revealed the defender has been diagnosed with a cartilage problem.

“Charlie Goode has had a little reaction with his cartilage, it’s on his knee,” Heckingbottom admitted. “He’s a doubt. There’s swelling. He can feel it and is aware of it. We know there’s an issue there that we have got to look into. We’ll see how it goes before the game.”

MORE: https://www.thestar.co.uk/sport/football/sheffield-united/circumstances-mean-sky-blues-could-be-a-tougher-test-than-boro-3606289