Bardsley signing to settle United defence

Bardsley formally completed his move to South Yorkshire yesterday and is scheduled to spend the next three months at the club having received permission from Manchester United to leave Old Trafford in search of first team football.

Robson, who spent 13 years at the Premiership champions during his own playing career, approached his former employers about the possibility of signing the full-back after losing Derek Geary to injury.

Centre-halves Leigh Bromby and Gary Cahill, who worked alongside Bardsley at Aston Villa last season, have both been asked to provide cover as a series of unforseen events have hampered Robson's efforts to achieve consistency in his defensive selections.

But Bardsley, who has also represented Royal Antwerp, Glasgow Rangers and Burnley, is expected to bring some much-needed solidity to a defence which has been breached 19 times in just 10 outings so far this term.

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Robson worked with his latest acquisition during a brief stint coaching Manchester United Reserves and said: "Leigh and Gary have both filled in at full-back but they are centre-halves and so it's not really been fair to ask them to do that job.

"I know Phil and he's a fit lad so he will be available for us straight away starting against Preston on Saturday.

"He's only just played a Reserves game against Liverpool and so he's in good shape."

The 2-0 defeat at Bristol City earlier this month - a result which saw United slip to 20th in the Championship table - prompted Robson to warn he is prepared to completely overhaul his squad unless there is a transformation in fortune and although he accepts that Bardsley's long-term future rests with Ferguson, he refused to rule-out attempting to make the loan permanent before it expires.

Bardsley admitted he has had few assurances about his prospects at Old Trafford when he was officially unveiled to the media at Shirecliffe and Robson said: "Obviously what happens with regard to Phil's future is down to him and also Sir Alex.

"But he's been brought here because we think he will do well and it's something we might look at exploring later on depending on how things work out here and elsewhere."