Sheffield United's search for reinforcements could go "right down to the wire" as transfer deadline day looms

Chris Wilder has warned Sheffield United search for the reinforcements he believes are necessary to help Sheffield United establish themselves as a Premier League club could go “right down to the wire” as efforts to sign Liverpool’s Rhian Brewster continue.
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With his squad still searching for its first points of the campaign ahead of Sunday’s visit to Arsenal, Wilder wants to sign Brewster and a replacement for injured defender Jack O’Connell before the transfer window closes on Monday.

Despite first making an approach for Brewster two months ago, efforts to secure the centre-forward’s release remain ongoing as United’s hierarchy attempt to broker a deal which both satisfies their counterparts at Anfield and complies with the budget they have devised to protect Bramall Lane’s financial health throughout to Covid-19 pandemic, which is estimated to have already cost England’s top-flight teams a combined total of around £1 billion.

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“Obviously we prefer to get players in as early as possible,” Wilder said. “But that’s not always possible to do. The ones you want, the ones you really want, you are always prepared to wait for and if we have to do that, then so be it.

“Our business might get taken right down to the wire. But I won’t bring in people for the sake of it. I can’t do that and I won’t. I’ll only bring them in if I believe they’ve got what we need and can improve our group as a whole.”

United, who are also hoping to bolster their options at centre-half after learning O’Connell could miss the rest of the campaign with a knee problem, finished ninth in the table last term. But following defeats to Wolverhampton Wanderers, Aston Villa and Leeds, Wilder told the media last weekend it is important they increase their firepower having created numerous chances but taken none during the course of those matches.

With Huddersfield Town’s Terence Kongolo thought to feature on the shortlist of names Wilder has presented to United’s board as he seeks to fill the void created by O’Connell’s absence, United are believed to be prepared to grant Liverpool’s request for a ‘buy back’ clause to be inserted into any potential deal for Brewster.

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