Sheffield United boss issues injury updates on key quartet after return to pre-season training

United’s promotion hopes last season were severely hampered by the unavailability of a number of star players at crucial times, with United facing the run in – and their play-off campaign – without a recognised main striker.

Oli McBurnie, Billy Sharp and Rhian Brewster all missed out, while right-back Jayden Bogle was another notable injury absentee.

Brewster, who damaged a hamstring and needed surgery last season, returned to light pre-season training with his teammates on Thursday while Sharp (calf) and McBurnie (foot) are also continuing their rehabilitation processes.

But Bogle is expected to miss the start of the season, which kicks off for United at Watford on August 1, with the knee problem that ruled him out of the Championship run-in.

Rhian Brewster

“With Rhian, it depends on how he progresses,” Heckingbottom said.

“Even if he hits every marker and keeps progressing as we expect, we’ll manage him back in I think.

“It’d be great to have him involved in pre-season but whatever happens, he knows he’ll be pushed. “We’ll do all we can to get him to the levels we want, which we were seeing before he got injured.”

Billy Sharp

United hoped to have Sharp available if they reached the play-off final last season. “We tried to rush and give him every opportunity to be fit if we got to the play-off final,” Heckingbottom said.

“It was a calculated risk which didn’t work so slowed it down, but we expect him to be fit for the start of the season.”

Jayden Bogle

“Jayden will be a lot longer; the season will have started before we get Jayden back.”

Oli McBurnie

“Oli Mac’s progressing well as well. We’ll hopefully get him out on the grass in the next few days. He’ll be doing rehab with the physios on the grass, full weight-bearing. It needs to be physical.”

Pre-season plans

United granted extra time off for their international players, with members of the U23s stepping up to make up the numbers in training.

“We’ll have more back next week and everyone before we go to Portugal,” Heckingbottom said. “Hopefully plus a few more bodies.”

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