Sheffield United have finally got to the bottom of key defender's injury issue

Basham has not featured since February after limping out of a Premier League game against Fulham with what was described at the time as a calf muscle problem.

Previously a mainstay of United’s 2017 and 2019 promotion winning squads, the centre-half has yet to make an appearance under Heckingbottom, who was placed in temporary charge when Chris Wilder left his position last month.

Although the former Barnsley, Leeds and Hibernian chief confirmed Basham will again be absent when United face Brighton and Hove Albion tomorrow night - their first outing since being officially relegated from the top-flight - he insisted the defender’s recovery is finally picking up speed.

“It wasn’t a muscle tear,” Heckingbottom said, explaining Basham’s diagnosis has now changed. “Maybe, and this is what we think, it was something like a tendon pressing on a nerve.

“When he tried to come back initially, he could still feel it. It’s a strange one.”

With Jack O’Connell undergoing surgery at the beginning of the campaign, United have played the majority of the season without their first choice back three which was a driving force behind their ninth placed finish last term.

They enter the meeting with Albion hoping to avoid a seventh straight defeat in all competitions.

“It’s a concern with Bash that we haven’t been able to use him,” Heckingbottom said. “But he’s progressing well.”

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