Sheffield United headlines: Closing in on Dean Henderson, Billy Sharp's struggle and Chris Wilder's strong message

With two days to go until the Blades travel to take on Aston Villa, manager Chris Wilder and skipper Billy Sharp were up before the media this morning and a whole range of issues were discussed.

THE DEAL FOR DEANO

Almost at the top of the agenda was the immediate future of goalkeeper Dean Henderson, with a deal still to be ratified that would at least keep him at Bramall Lane until the end of this prolonged campaign. However, there was movement on that front.

“We're in the process in the next couple of days of finalising Dean staying with us for the rest of the season,” said Wilder. “I have got to say Ole (Gunnar Solskjaer) was brilliant as he always is and was very pro Dean staying and delighted with what Dean's done for us and what we've done for him as well.”

Sheffield United close to finalising Dean Henderson extension with Man Utd - Wilder wants keeper next season, too

VILLA ON HIS MIND

The focus then shifted to Wednesday night and there was no talking about the quest for Europe, despite United being well in the hunt for either a Champions League or Europa League place.

“I am not looking at anything else (other than Aston Villa),” added Wilder. “If it gets to the situation where we are one or two games out and we are still in a fantastic position then we will possibly talk about that.”

The important point manager Chris Wilder is determined to make ahead of Sheffield United's big Premier League return against Aston Villa

HOW WILL THEY COPE?

No one really knows how each individual team are going to deal with the prospect of getting back to action after such a long break and a short period to prepare. And Wilder isn’t entirely sure himself.

He said: “I am as intrigued and as hopeful as anyone that we can restart in the manner we left off, but we won't know until we get rolling. We are ready to go.”

NO MESSING AROUND

New deals have been signed recently by Ollie Norwood, David McGoldrick and Billy Sharp. There are a few more still to be agreed but Wilder isn’t going to put the club at risk by been drawn into prolonged negotiations with agents.

He said on that: “I’ve mentioned a lot of times that I have a responsibility to the football club. Yes, the players want the best deals for them and that’s understandable. But there is a limit to how far we’ll go and we’ll leave those offers out there.”

BILLY’S WINTER OF DISCONTENT

Speaking of Billy Sharp, the Blades skipper admitted that the uncertainty over his future during the January transfer window had been difficult for him.

“I was a bit disappointed with how uncertain it was in January, I dropped to League One with United from the Premier League in space of 18 months and I had no issues with that,” he said. “I didn't want to leave in January and don't want to now, I want to be part of this special group. The manager has made me a better player and I am grateful for that, and I’m delighted to be a cog in the wheel to hopefully have more success in the next few years.”

CHANGE DOESN’T GO DOWN WELL

There was agreement in the United and Aston Villa camps that the new rule which allowed for five substitutions in a match would not be of benefit to them and was weighted towards teams with bigger squads.

Chris Basham told Radio Five Live: "I think the substitutes thing that has come in will affect us a little bit because we are not going to be as strong as the top six sides.

"But we we are going to give it a good go and the manager would not let us do anything other than that.

"The manager said we can go from just being in the Premier League, staying up, or we can go and do something we've never done before and that is getting into Europe and getting into the Champions League."

And Villa boss Dean Smith said: “I wasn’t for it. I just believe we started the season with certain rules and now we have changed it. I suppose it helps the clubs with the bigger squads. There was talk to change it because there is more risk of injury but having more subs doesn’t help that. I just wanted it to stay as it was. I think Sheffield United were the same.”

SEVEN talking points from Chris Wilder's Sheffield United press conference ahead of Aston Villa clash

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Thank you. Chris.