Key deadline passes in Sheffield United’s James McAtee transfer ahead of crunch Everton clash

Sheffield United are still working on finalising the loan return of Manchester City youngster James McAtee, after the deadline to have him registered to play in tomorrow’s crunch Premier League clash against Everton at Bramall Lane. The deal has been described as “complicated” by sources close to United.

The Blades struck a deal with the reigning champions for McAtee to come back to South Yorkshire after his highly-successful loan spell last season, where he helped the Blades to promotion alongside City teammate Tommy Doyle. McAtee returned to City and formed part of Pep Guardiola’s City squad in the early part of this season but his actual minutes on the pitch have been limited, with reports in Manchester suggesting that the warm reception he received when he returned to Bramall Lane last Sunday with City making up the player’s mind.

Paul Heckingbottom, the United manager, was desperate to have his side’s transfer business sewn up by the midday deadline for the new faces to be eligible to face Everton in a six-pointer clash, with both sides looking for their first win of the league season. But The Star understands the McAtee deal was not done before 12pm today, with the complicated deal still being worked on.

The youngster has travelled to Sheffield ahead of the finishing touches being applied to the deal. McAtee’s representatives were at Bramall Lane on Wednesday evening but the deal was not finalised in time for the Everton deadline. The United boss had made McAtee his top target for the remainder of the window, which slams shut at 11pm tonight, after identifying more attacking talent as his transfer priority, and his impending signing will complete United’s work in the domestic loan market following Luke Thomas’ arrival from Leicester City yesterday.