Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder has summarily dismissed that the club have any concerns over the permanent capture of star midfielder Oliver Norwood when the January transfer window opens.
Having brought in the 27-year-old Northern Ireland international from Brighton and Hove Albion over the summer on a loan deal, the move was with a view to a permanent deal then being concluded. Given his form for the Blades so far in the Championship campaign of 2018/19 it seems some had developed concerns that come January we could be gazumped and tempted away from Bramall Lane.
Wilder addressed those concerns when speaking to the Star this weekend.
“It’s done, it’s dusted and everything is sorted. There’s no way anything is happening other than Ollie coming here. In fact, I already think of him as being our player. If anybody tells you anything else can happen, then they’re wrong. They’ve clearly not read the documents or spoken to the people involved.”
A loan to buy deal, at least in my understanding as a very minimum gives the loan club first refusal, but it’s normally claused based and automatic, if not an obligatory buy clause that has to be enacted on a given date.
It simply seems Norwood’s loan was one of those and effectively it’s just a paperwork change required.
Given his performances, fans will certainly be delighted with this news though. It would be pointless for clubs to bid as his contract is solid and he’s going nowhere until the end of his deal or we decide otherwise.