Sheffield United latest on Oli McBurnie with striker's future still unresolved

Sheffield United have made Oli McBurnie another contract offer in a bid to end the striker’s state of summer limbo, we understand. McBurnie became a free agent at the end of June after his deal expired but he returned to United for pre-season training to retain his fitness.

With the new Championship season now less than three weeks away, McBurnie has yet to make the next move in his career as he waited to discover United’s plans. The Star has been told that McBurnie had a meeting with United chief executive Stephen Bettis earlier in the summer but the matter has been complicated by the ongoing takeover saga at Bramall Lane.

The arrival of fellow striker Kieffer Moore earlier this month also threw another spanner into the works, but United are understood to have tabled an offer to McBurnie in a bid to keep him at Bramall Lane.

The offer is likely to reflect United’s Championship status, after relegation from the Premier League last season necessitated yet more belt-tightening under current owner Prince Abdullah, and also the striker’s fitness record last season. The Scottish international made just 21 top-flight appearances last season due to a combination of injury and unavailability, but finished the campaign as United’s joint-top league scorer with six goals and also wore the captain’s armband towards the end of the term.

With a raft of summer departures gutting the Bramall Lane dressing room, boss Chris Wilder is light on experience and characters as well as bodies ahead of August 9’s season opener against Preston North End at Deepdale.

Striker Will Osula has done his chances of featuring in the game no harm, with goals in both of United’s pre-season friendlies so far, while Rhian Brewster will hope for better luck on the injury front in the final season of his current Blades deal. Moore made his United debut at Chesterfield on Saturday while United are thought to be keen to add at least one more striker to their forward line, with Benie Traore closing in on a move to FC Basel.