Sheffield United: Blades sweating on clearance for new signing Filip Uremovic

Although Paul Heckingbottom insisted he remains confident Uremovic will receive permission to make his debut during Saturday’s Championship game against Stoke City, he confessed last night that the necessary paperwork is still being processed.

Aged 25 and capped six times by his country, Uremovic moved to England after being allowed to suspend his contract with the Russian club following their country’s invasion of Ukraine.

“We are just waiting on the clearance,” Heckingbottom told The Star, before reassuring supporters there is “no chance” of the deal falling through. “He is our player. It (the required form) has been sent in. We have his registration now. It’s just a case of it all being ratified.”

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Asked when that process must be completed in order for Uremovic to be involved at the bet365 Stadium, Heckingbottom added: “It’s the same as usual. It could get signed off before the game and someone could be on the telephone right now telling us it has.

“I’m not concerned by it. Everything has been done properly. It’s all with FIFA.”

Fifth in the table with eight matches remaining, United moved for Uremovic after seeing their defence torn apart by injuries although George Baldock, Enda Stevens and Ben Davies have since made progress in their respective battles for fitness.

Heckingbottom explained Kazan have “seven days, I think” to provide the world governing body with the necessary documents: “Once the request has been made.”

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“I’m not sure what the punishment is if that doesn’t happen,” he continued. “But I’m sure there would be one. It’s not going to be an issue though. We’re just waiting to get the nod.”

Uremovic trained with his new team mates for the first time today, despite travelling to South Yorkshire to watch their win over Barnsley earlier this month.

Billy Sharp, who was injured during that contest, “has a chance” of featuring at City according to Heckingbottom, while Davies and Baldock could also return to action following lay-offs.

“Filip has met the rest of the lads now,” Heckingbottom said. “He was really keen to do it.”