Teenage striker Goran Slavkovski is also returning to Inter Milan after failing to make an impact on loan and Chinese international midfielder Li Tie has reached the end of his
two-year deal having played only one game.

Horsfield's departure ends an equally difficult two-year association with the Blades in which he started only one game and was farmed out on loan to three different clubs, Leeds United, Leicester City and Scunthorpe United. The 34-year-old was signed by former manager Neil Warnock for £1.2m, but was rarely given an opportunity to shine.

Another of Warnock's forgotten signings, Senegalese international defender Mamadou Seck, still has another year left on his contract but could be allowed to move on.

Blackwell is likely to sit down for talks with former England midfielder Lee Hendrie who signed a three-year deal last summer but slipped down the pecking order and ended the season on loan at Leicester.

Major surgery on the first team will not be needed after an impressive end to the Championship season.

Blackwell is likely to make a permanent move for defender John Halls, who ended the season on loan with the Blades, and is coming to the end of his contract at Reading.

Wingers David Cotterill and Lee Martin, who also played for the Blades on loan, are still under contract with Wigan Athletic and Manchester United respectively, but Blackwell is monitoring developments.

Cotterill has held talks this week about a permanent move and said: "We'll have to wait and see in the summer – but if the option is there I'd be interested for sure."

Canadian company Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment have rejected reports that they are considering a bid for control of Sheffield Wednesday.

Representatives of the group, which owns Toronto FC, had visited Hillsborough, but insist it was only part of a fact-finding mission.

Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate admits there have been times this season when he could not have complained had chairman Steve Gibson decided to sack him.

The 37-year-old has endured a tough second campaign at the Riverside Stadium helm and admitted after last Saturday's 2-0 win over Portsmouth which secured Boro's Barclays Premier League status, that changes would have to be made.

He said: "When times are difficult, that is when the chairman is at his most supportive.

"But when you look around and see what's happening everywhere else, it makes you think twice from time to time.

"I have to accept that there were stages in the season where if he had turned round and said, 'Thank very much, but enough's enough', then I could have had no complaints."