Paul Heckingbottom addresses Sheffield United transfer target Emil Riis' future amid Preston uncertainty
Former Sheffield United boss Paul Heckingbottom addresses Emil Riis’ future situation amid Blades transfer interest
Former Sheffield United boss Paul Heckingbottom has admitted he would be reluctant to sanction a January exit for Blades target Emil Riis - despite admitting that there is “nothing” that Preston North End can do about the striker’s contractual situation. The Star revealed recently that Riis is one of the many names on the Blades’ recruitment list in a key January transfer window.
The striker is now in the final six months of his Deepdale contract, potentially making Preston vulnerable to a cut-priced deal rather than lose him for nothing in the summer, with Blades chief Chris Wilder targeting Riis while he was in charge of Middlesbrough. Riis has scored seven goals this season for 16th-placed Preston - more than any player for United in third - and is currently free to negotiate a pre-contract move abroad in the summer should he so wish.
Asked about tying Riis down to a new deal, Heckingbottom said: "I will answer it the same way... everyone has to be happy with that, don't they? Players are well within their rights to let their contracts run down. There is nothing you can do about that. But I know Emil is enjoying his football - you can see that. He knows what I think of him. You get a hungry player because he is trying to impress us and trying to impress everyone else."
United are also admirers of Tom Cannon, having targeted the forward in the summer before he joined Stoke City on loan from Leicester City. Reports recently suggested that City have a recall clause in the striker’s loan deal and if it is activated then United would be interested in a loan deal for the second part of the campaign.