Sheffield United: 'Surprising' if Iliman Ndiaye even considers contract offer until after the World Cup

After being named in the Senegal squad which has travelled to Qatar, Ndiaye could make his latest appearance for Aliou Cisse’s side when they begin their Group A campaign with a game against Holland today.

The 22-year-old has gone from being a relative unknown to one of the most talked about players outside of the Premier League since the beginning of the campaign, scoring nine goals in only 21 appearances this term and helping Heckingbottom’s team climb to second in the Championship ahead of next month’s return to action.

Although the United manager has petitioned for Ndiaye to be awarded a new contract, to reflect his progress, talks between the club’s hierarchy and the player’s representatives have yet to bear fruit with one outside source telling The Star last night it “would be a surprise” if at least one top-flight, either at home or abroad, did not enquire about his situation when the transfer market reopens in January.

However, even if Ndiaye’s agent does not accept a proposal from United, his bond with Heckingbottom could persuade the former Boreham Wood attacker to help them try and seal promotion before contemplating the latest phase of a career which has blossomed in recent months. The two men worked closely together after Ndiaye entered United’s development programme, where Heckingbottom, who handed him his professional debut during a spell in caretaker charge, was employed before being appointed on a permanent basis last season.

Speaking before Ndiaye flew to the Middle East, where his United colleague Adam Davies is representing Wales, Heckingbottom insisted talks with those individuals whose deals are set to expire over the summer could continue during the tournament. But after withdrawing from the negotiation process to concentrate on footballing affairs, he warned supporters not to expect any major announcements until after it finishes on December 18th.

Ndiaye’s agreement with United runs until 2024, meaning it would be a surprise if Ndiaye’s advisors even consider extending it until studying how the market looks over Christmas and New Year.