These are Sheffield United's transfer deadline day plans

Sheffield United will spend the final day of the transfer window aiming to sign a replacement for Jack O’Connell, after Chris Wilder appeared to confirm the defender is likely to miss the rest of the season through injury.
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Terence Kongolo, who has been told he can leave Huddersfield Town before the 11pm deadline, is the most long-standing name on United’s list of candidates, with exploratory talks understood to have taken place with the player and his representatives last week.

Although Wilder has acknowledged there are no guarantees he will be able to bring in a new centre-half - particularly after United made Rhian Brewster the most expensive player in the club’s history when he left Liverpool last week - the manager has presented a shortlist of at least two alternative options, including Preston North End’s Ben Davies, to their board of directors should it prove impossible to broker a deal for Kongolo in time.

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Speaking before his team’s visit to Arsenal – which they lost 2-1- Wilder provided an update on O’Connell’s condition after the 26-year-old underwent surgery to correct a knee problem. The issue, which is known to have troubled O'Connell since the beginning of his professional career, has proved relatively simple to manage, it flared-up again towards the end of last term - prompting both Wilder and the Liverpudlian to accept that it was time to seek a permanent solution.

Chris Wilder manager of Sheffield Utd during the Premier League match at the Emirates Stadium, London.   Simon Bellis/SportimageChris Wilder manager of Sheffield Utd during the Premier League match at the Emirates Stadium, London.   Simon Bellis/Sportimage
Chris Wilder manager of Sheffield Utd during the Premier League match at the Emirates Stadium, London. Simon Bellis/Sportimage
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“It’s the same timescale for Jack,” Wilder said, when asked how O’Connell was progressing. “There were no complications as far as the specialist was concerned.

"Once they got inside the knee, there was nothing they didn’t expect to find. It’s a tough time at the football club and a tough time for Jack.”

With Preston said to value Davies at around £10m, despite the fact he is in the closing stages of his present contract, Kongolo will become an even more attractive proposition for United given Town’s willingness to sell a player they paid around £15m for two years ago.

Indeed, it is thought he has been training away from the rest of the first team squad in recent months after Carlos Corberan admitted Kongolo is destined to leave West Yorkshire. Capped four times by Holland, Kongolo represented Feyenoord and Monaco before moving to England.

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Although United would be confident of driving down Davies’ fee if they choose to pursue this particular option, reaching a figure acceptable to both them and Preston before the window closes could prove difficult.