Paul Heckingbottom explains Sheffield United transfer delay as hard work continues

The Blades boss expected this window to be a tough one, with clubs upping the price for their players when United showed an interest as a Premier League club and players also hoping to gain a bigger slice of their top-flight riches with their wage demands.

United’s budget may have been boosted by the proceeds of Iliman Ndiaye’s sale to Marseille but still remains modest by modern-day Premier League standards, with a strict wage structure also in place at Bramall Lane. All signings are expected to agree to relegation causes which would cut their salaries if United dropped back into the Championship during their careers in South Yorkshire, which is understood to be further complicating the work of adding to the four new faces who have already joined Heckingbottom’s squad.

Hecky’s Blades transfer wish ahead of Palace season opener

United are keen on Brazilian midfielder Vinicius Souza with youngster Malik Tillman also emerging as a target earlier this summer after news reached Bramall Lane that he may be allowed to leave Bayern Munich. And Heckingbottom, asked to explain the delay over transfers ahead of the new season, admitted it was down to “all sorts”.

“We’ve missed out on players,” he admitted. “Players choose other clubs, get outbid on players, players get more wages elsewhere, too slow to act... A combination of things as always happens in the window.

“We’ve been close on one for a while, but we need more than that. I think there are plenty of areas on the pitch where we need bodies and why we want them.”

United still have their two domestic loan spots available, with Heckingbottom calling for patience and warning that they may not be filled until closer to September 1’s transfer deadline. “It’s always an issue with loans,” he said, “because when you’re looking for good loans they come out towards the end and that’s the problem. We’ve got to be patient.”