Sheffield United boss's definitive Jesurun Rak-Sakyi stance amid speculation of Crystal Palace January recall
Chris Wilder responds to Jesurun Rak-Sakyi recall chatter after Sheffield United impact
Jesurun Rak-Sakyi is starting to really find his feet at Sheffield United after his summer loan arrival from Crystal Palace, picking up his first assist in Blades colours during Saturday’s 2-0 win over Stoke City. The tricky youngster had already given Unitedites an early glimpse of his abilities with a great brace against Luton Town, with excitement about what is to come over the course of the campaign.
Rak-Sakyi’s loan status also means that there is a degree of trepidation with January around the corner, with reports from London recently suggesting that Palace are keeping a close eye on the 22-year-old with a view to potentially bringing him back to Selhurst Park in January amid a lack of other options on the right flank for Oliver Glasner.
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Although it has not been publicly confirmed that Rak-Sakyi’s loan has a break clause allowing Palace to terminate it in January, such arrangements are commonplace in temporary moves and the chatter will only ramp up if the winger continues to impress for United. But, speaking ahead of United’s weekend trip to Blackburn Rovers, boss Chris Wilder definitively shut down any concerns. “"No, he's here for the season,” he said. “I'm 100 per cent confident on that.”
Some Unitedites will have similar concerns over the future of Harry Souttar, the Leicester loanee who has proved a key part of the Blades’ early-season form, but his future at the King Power Stadium is more in the air and it would be a major surprise if he was summoned back to the Midlands once the January sales begin.
“We know a lot about the new boys’ personalities,” Wilder added. “I wouldn't have signed them if I didn't think they had that attitude, that mentality, that personality that we talk a lot about at this football club. We’re developing this new group now, are they all in or have they just come in for six months and shoot off and want to get another move, or coming in late and shooting off early from training. We do our due diligence off the pitch as well as on it.”
United’s trio of loans, including Chelsea’s Alfie Gilchrist, have all fully bought into life at the Lane. “They have to,” said Wilder. “We knew about their backgrounds, through connections and the networking that we do and have at our disposal. We knew about all the boys. We’re never just going to sign robots, we've had some lively characters in the past.
“People possibly looked at it and said: ‘Gary Madine?’ Ched Evans, Leon Clare, Ravel Morrison. Some have better careers here than others but we're not afraid to sign a personality and a character. But ultimately they have to fit in with the group because the group’s the most important thing.”