Why Sheffield United won't sign a replacement for key position despite "months" injury blow

The former Barnsley and Stoke City goalkeeper, who hopes to travel to the World Cup with Wales this winter, was withdrawn after colliding with a Lincoln City forward in a behind-closed-doors friendly game at United’s Shirecliffe training base.

Davies was later seen sporting a knee brace, with Heckingbottom confirming he had suffered medial collateral ligament damage. The goalkeeper will certainly miss the start of the season, and could be out until after the transfer window closes on September 1.

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But United’s recruitment team will not add the position to their list of targets in this summer window as things stand, with Wes Foderingham – who is yet to appear himself this summer in pre-season after damaging a calf – on track to be fit for the season opener on August 1, when United travel to recently-relegated Watford.

U23 goalkeeper Jordan Amissah, who has featured in each of United’s friendlies so far, is set to deputise for Foderingham, with teenager Dylan Wharton effectively becoming United’s third-choice goalkeeper after arriving from Chesterfield.

With both Amissah and Wharton playing fewer than five senior games in their careers so far, United would be allowed to utilise the emergency loan market if they suffered any goalkeeping injuries after the transfer window had closed.

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Fellow United goalkeepers Jake Eastwood and Marcus Dewhurst are out on loan, with the latter facing his parent club for Scunthorpe United on Saturday.

“In an ideal world you would,” admitted Heckingbottom, when asked if he plans to enter the transfer market for a replacement goalkeeper while Davies recovers.

“But it's Wes's shirt and Jordan will be on the bench, with Dylan competing for that. We know we’ll just have to be really swift if something did happen to Wes, we'd have to get an emergency loan in really quickly.

“In an ideal world, if we had endless funds in the budget to do it, we'd probably do it [sign a replacement]. But it's good experience for our young players, to be in and around it, and Wes of course performed extremely well for us last season.”

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