Blades striker Henderson to miss start due to surgery

It is the third serious injury blow of the summer for the club following the loss of new signing Simon Walton with a torn cruciate and Lee Williamson with a serious back problem.

Henderson, 28, missed the final two games of last season after suffering his injury in the Sheffield derby at Hillsborough in April. He had returned to pre-season training, however, but was unable to regain 100 per cent fitness.

Now, after visiting a specialist, Henderson will undergo surgery on Tuesday to reattach part of the hamstring to the bone.

Blackwell said: "Losing an important member of the squad like Darius is a blow and we wish him well with his rehabilitation. Our squad is not the biggest in terms of quantity but we have other quality forwards who are keen to find the target in the early-season matches."

The Blades still have four fully-fit strikers available for the opening game of the season at Cardiff City – Richard Cresswell, Jamie Ward, Ched Evans and summer signing Daniel Bogdanovic.

Blackwell will not be keeping defender Kerra Gilbert, who has been on trial following his release by Arsenal.

The Blades are still keen on AS Nancy defender Jean Calve, who played in a midweek friendly at Notts County, but face competition from a Premier League club.

Shrewsbury Town have signed midfielder Sean McAllister, 22, on a two-year deal following his release by Sheffield Wednesday.

Teenager defender Nick Wood, who was also released by the Owls this summer, has signed for Tranmere Rovers.

Former Huddersfield Town striker Pawel Abbott, released by Oldham, has snubbed a move to Rotherham United and opted instead for a move to Charlton.

Leeds United are expected to today make Ipswich Town defender Alex Bruce their seventh signing of the summer.

The 25-year-old is understood to be in talks after Tractor Boys manager Roy Keane confirmed a bid, believed to be in the region of 200,000, had been accepted from Leeds.

Sources in Suffolk suggest Bruce, a target for Sheffield United earlier in the summer, has been offered a two-year deal.

If the deal goes ahead, the son of Sunderland manager Steve Bruce will join Billy Paynter, Kasper Schmeichel, Paul Connolly, Fede Bessone, Neill Collins and Lloyd Sam in signing for Simon Grayson since the end of last season.

Meanwhile, the United manager is still waiting to hear the extent of Robert Snodgrass's injury after the Scot was sent for a scan yesterday. He was stretchered off during Leeds' 3-1 win in Norway on Tuesday.