Sheffield United: The selection process Brentford's Charlie Goode was required to pass before loan switch

The centre-half completed his move to Bramall Lane before tonight’s transfer deadline, after agreeing to spend the rest of the season in South Yorkshire.

Having considered a variety of candidates for the vacancy he identified at the heart of United’s defence, Heckingbottom swooped for Goode following a series of discussions with the 26-year-old over the weekend.

Together with the character references they sought from ex-teammates, those talks resulted in an official approach being made to Thomas Frank over the weekend.

“We go through lots of things,” Heckingbottom told The Star. “I’ll speak with every player before they come. They have to understand what I’m after and how hard we want to work for three points.

“But they also have to understand that they’re not just coming here for their own benefit. They are coming here for our benefit too, to join a really good group of players. Those are the conversations we have, about what they can do for us but also, importantly, what we can do for them as well.”

After making a new centre-half his top priority of the winter window, Heckingbottom opted for Goode rather than the other possibilities identified by his recruitment department because of the former Scunthorpe and Northampton Town defender’s versatility.

With Ben Davies still working his way back to fitness, United faced the prospect of being forced into an enforced change of system if John Egan, Chris Basham or Jack Robinson were diagnosed with either an injury or an illness ahead of Friday’s visit to Birmingham City.

Having climbed to within six points of the play-off positions following last weekend’s win at Peterborough, United, who have two matches in hand on sixth-placed Middlesbrough, know a victory at St Andrews would increase the pressure on those clubs above them in the Championship table.

Goode, who helped Northampton Town win promotion from League Two before helping Frank’s side reach the highest level last term, could make his United debut in the West Midlands. Daniel Jebbison is also expected to be involved in the squad which faces City having been recalled from Burton Albion. United took that decision after seeing Rhian Brewster limp out of the trip to the Weston Homes Stadium and allowing fellow strikers Lys Mousset and Oliver Burke to depart on loan. They have joined Salernitana and Millwall respectively, while United acquired goalkeeper Adam Davies, effectively on a free, from Stoke City earlier this month. They also sold academy graduate Regan Slater to Hull City for a nominal sum, although a sell-on clause entitling them to 20 percent of any fee he commands upon leaving the MKM Stadium was inserted into the agreement.

“Because we demand a lot of our players at this football club and they have to work hard,” Heckingbottom added, “They have to understand what I’m after. They need to buy into our ideas.

“The role of the team and the spirit of the team. We help each other. We can give a lot back to players so the conversations we have with them are important.”