Sheffield United: Why Rhian Brewster chose not to undergo treatments which wouldn't have ruled him out for season

Speaking ahead of Wednesday’s game against West Bromwich Albion - a match of huge significance in the race for the Championship play-offs - Heckingbottom confirmed United’s record signing is “unlikely” to play again this term once specialists have performed the procedure.

Although other routes were open to Brewster, some of which could have meant he returned to action sooner, Heckingbottom confirmed the striker agreed to have an operation following consultations with United’s head of medical services Steve Humphries.

“There were other options, ones where we could have treated the problem a bit less aggressively,” Heckingbottom explained. “He would have been rehabbing as normal but there would have been less of a guarantee that it would heal as strong.

“Steve is a specialist in hamstrings and he’s had a player before with the exact same injury as Rhian and that has given him (Brewster) the confidence to do it because he knows the player and what it did for him.”

News that Brewster is set for another extended period on the sidelines having only just recovered from an unrelated hamstring issue will be a major blow for United as they battle for an immediate return to the Premier League following last term’s relegation. The youngster, who commanded a £23.5m fee when he left Liverpool 16 months ago, had scored three times in his last seven outings before limping-out of United’s recent win over Peterborough.

After beating Birmingham City on Friday night, they have prepared for the meeting with West Brom only three points behind Steve Bruce’s sixth-placed side having played two games less. Bruce, who began his coaching career with United, will be taking charge of the visitors for the first time since being unveiled as Valerien Ismael’s successor.

“Weighing up everything and taking all the probabilities into account, we all felt this was the best way forward - to have the op,” Heckingbottom said. “Rhian included. That’s because, even though there’s no such thing as an absolute guarantee, this means he should come back a lot stronger than if he hadn’t done it.”