Paul Heckingbottom is pleading to the Sheffield United owner to grant him the funds to sign an extra forward after Reda Khadra was recalled by Brighton & Hove Albion.
Going into Saturday’s match against Alex Neil’s Stoke City, United only had three strikers available: the veteran Billy Sharp, star man Iliman Ndiaye, and promising youngster Daniel Jebbison.
But in the second half the Senegalese international stayed down after taking a knock. Paul Heckingbottom revealed after the game that Ndiaye “wanted to stay on”, but they took no unnecessary risks with their top goalscorer.
Oli McBurnie has been dealing with an ankle injury for the past few weeks, and the big number nine stated on Twitter: “promise I’ll be back with the boys soon”.
Meanwhile Rhian Brewster is still a long way from seeing any football.
With just three senior forwards that are fit, including Will Osula if he isn’t sent back out on loan, the manager spoke on the attacking depth at his disposal on SUTV:
“We are short,” he explained. “We have put together what I thought was a good squad, well balanced and with competition all over.
“I have said all along I just want to keep the players. If we haven’t got the money, we haven’t got the money, but as long as we keep the players fantastic.
“But we have lost one, so can we replace that to get that competition, balance, options, whatever you want to call it back in the group?”
My Verdict
With Oli McBurnie rumoured to be back amongst the squad within the next couple of weeks, United should be monitoring the loan market and the free agency market.
They won’t be able to splash the cash after paying a hefty signing on fee to secure the loan signing of Reda Khadra back in the summer, and because they are in the middle of a proposed takeover it seems unlikely they will get much funds to spend.
If Utd had to pay a hecrt signing on fee why have they sent him back knowing they were light in attacking options?