Striker is confident he will be staying at Sheffield United

The centre-forward was granted permission to return to France before the end of last term, with Chris Wilder telling journalists he took the decision to allow Mousset to spend time with his partner and their new born baby.

But the United manager is also known to have been frustrated by the striker’s fitness and conditioning levels during the final few weeks of a campaign disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic. Mousset, a £10m signing from AFC Bournemouth, was also forced to wait until October before making his full debut for Wilder’s side, after coaching staff claimed the protracted nature of his move from the Vitality Stadium had affected his performance levels. However, despite wrapping a protective arm around the player at the time, Wilder later suggested he needed to “do more” to command a regular place in United’s starting eleven.

Despite concerns about Mousset’s focus, Wilder and his coaching staff insist the 24-year-old possesses both the speed and the finishing skills to spearhead their attack at the highest level. One member of Bramall Lane’s backroom team recently told The Star that Mousset, who scored five goals in eight appearances for Les Bleus at under-21 level, would be worth six or seven times the fee United paid to acquire his services if he becomes more consistent.

It is that belief which explains Wilder’s exasperation with the fact Mousset failed to build on a prolific period ahead of the Christmas fixture schedule, when he was on target five times on only 10 outings.

He has netted only once in 20 games since then, with that effort coming during July’s 3-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur.

Although he has been pictured frequently on social media during his break, Mousset remains convinced his future remains in South Yorkshire, with associates confirming he plans to start afresh when competition resumes on September 12.

United are set to discover their schedule for 2020/21 later this week, with the Premier League saying the fixture programne will be published by Friday at the latest.

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