Details of Sheffield United's transfer target sales pitch have been revealed

Rather than attempt to snare them by offering lucrative salaries - a nonsensical and potentially disastrous strategy given their financial challenges - manager Paul Heckingbottom and his coaching staff are instead emphasising United’s relationship with their support base, the attacking style which propelled them into the Premier League and home city’s rich footballing history in order to capture the imagination of would-be recruits.

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For those viewed as possible loan signings, Heckingbottom has designed a presentation detailing the progress made by the likes of Morgan Gibbs-White, James McAtee and Tommy Doyle after joining United on a temporary basis in recent years. Gibbs-White, who like Manchester City midfielder Doyle is currently on duty with England at the under-21 European Championships, secured a lucrative move to Nottingham Forest after returning to Wolverhampton Wanderers. McAtee, Doyle’s colleague at the Etihad Stadium, is now viewed as a potential first team regular of the future by Pep Guardiola.

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Heckingbottom has told The Star that, despite the challenges presented by his budget, he is confident United remain an attractive proposition for players at certain stages of their careers.

“We always try to have ‘a go’ and, in front of our crowd, when everyone has seen what the atmosphere is like inside the ground when that happens, if you’re not inspired by that then you’re in the wrong game,” he said. “It’s a great environment to play in.”

“This is a passionate and important football region,” Heckingbottom continued, speaking soon after United’s promotion from the Championship was confirmed. “It’s historic, for the country and the world. Who wouldn’t be interested in being a part of that story?

“I know it’s not everything and there’s other factors that come into play. But it should count.”

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Doyle and McAtee were the subject of talks between United and City’s director of football Txiki Begiristain last week, with more discussions expected to take place shortly.

Chelsea’s Carney Chukwuemeka, Mason Holgate of Everton, Nottingham Forest’s Lewis O’Brien and Anis Ben Slimane of Brondby have also been mentioned in dispatches, together with a flurry of names in France.

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