Jefferson Cáceres and Christian Nwachukwu were left-field arrivals for Sheffield United on transfer deadline day

They arrived on deadline-day as two of the more left-field deals in recent history but more than a fortnight on, Sheffield United fans are still waiting for their first glimpses of Jefferson Cáceres and Christian Nwachukwu in red and white shirts. The pair were effectively the guinea pigs of the new Blades owners’ transfer model, which identified targets using artificial intelligence.

Nwachukwu is a 19-year-old Nigerian who caught the eye plying his trade with Bulgarian First League side Botev Plovdiv while Cáceres, 22, played for F. B. C. Melgar in his home country of Peru. While Cáceres has at least visited England, conducting his media duties at the Shirecliffe training ground and posing for photos with supporters at home games, Nwachukwu’s arrival into the country was initially delayed.

Neither have been included in the Blades’ U21 squad recently, which is seen as a more natural fit for the pair rather than throwing them straight into the first-team set-up while they acclimatise to life in England, leading to questions from some supporters about their visa and work permit status.

Regulations for players looking to move to England tightened up post-Brexit, with visas awarded on a points basis taking into account a player’s international experience, the number of minutes they have played and the success of both their previous club and the league in which that club competes.

Clubs have an additional option to bring players to the UK from abroad in the form of ESC (elite significant contribution) players, if they can prove that they have significant potential at an elite level and will make a significant contribution to football in this country. With neither Cáceres nor Nwachukwu appearing to meet the international sportsperson visa requirements, according to two online calculators, the ESC would appear to be the most likely route to bring them to Bramall Lane.

The Star understands that the process to obtain the relevant documentation for the pair is well underway and is at different stages with two different authorities, but the hope is that both will be cleared before the end of this month. Cáceres is understood to have undergone some testing in his early days at United with the club’s coaching staff mindful of the acclimatisation process both players will have to undergo in South Yorkshire.