“We like him...” - Sheffield United boss addresses Jimmy Dunne transfer interest ahead of QPR reunion

Chris Wilder has no hard feelings over Sheffield United’s failure to sign Jimmy Dunne in the winter transfer window as the Blades prepare to come face-to-face with the QPR defender at Loftus Road tomorrow. The 27-year-old Irishman had been identified as a top target as United looked to strengthen in that area for the second part of the season.

The Blades were confident of landing their man with his contract set to expire at the end of this season. He missed a game at Millwall as speculation continued over his future but in the end United saw an offer for Dunne rejected, and they moved on to alternative targets as the transfer deadline rapidly approached.

In the end Dunne remained at Loftus Road when the window shut and scored in his last game, a 2-1 defeat away at Portsmouth. He is expected to line up against the side he could have joined tomorrow and Wilder has no regrets about how the episode played out, with former Arsenal man Rob Holding coming in from Crystal Palace instead and impressing coaching staff with his attitude.

“We made a bid for Jimmy and it got turned down,” said Wilder. “He wasn't our player and QPR have every right to do what they needed to do in that particular moment. For a player out of contract in the summer, we put a reasonably good bid in. We obviously like the player because if we didn't, we wouldn't have put a bid in.

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“But QPR have every right to turn that down and they turned it down. And we moved on, and I'm delighted we've got Rob in. He's been outstanding and he's really pushing and pushing and pushing. He's got great experience, it's been great for me and the coaches to have him around the group. and he's settled in well.

“He's a popular member of the group and he's a really good player. Anel [Ahmedhodzic] and Jack [Robinson] understand they have to play well and if we ever went to a back three as we did at Luton, to get wins, then Rob is really banging on the door and I'm delighted to have him.”

Dunne is yet to commit his future to QPR and as things stand could walk away as a free agent in the summer, leading to the possibility that United could resurrect their interest at that point on a free transfer. The Star has been told that United’s offer for Dunne was around the £2m mark, with QPR electing to roll the dice despite the possibility of losing him for nothing in a few months.