Chris Wilder calls off Sheffield United's defender search

The domestic transfer window closes at 5pm on Friday and although Wilder had been hoping to add cover for the left side of central defence once Jack O'Connell picked up an injury which could keep him out for the season, he appears now to have accepted defeat.

“The players who are in the building are the ones we will be going with,” he said on Friday morning. “They are the players who will take us through to January.”

The window is due to reopen again on New Year's Day for a month.

The Blades have, though, been very active in this window, buying Aaron Ramsdale, Jayden Bogle, Max Lowe, Oliver Burke and Rhian Brewster, signing free agent Wes Foderingham and loaning Ethan Ampadu from Chelsea.

That ticked all the boxes Wilder was looking for until O'Connell picked up a knee injury which is expected to keep him out for at least six months. Jack Robinson is the next in line for that position, but the Blades had wanted to provide him with competition and cover. Others, including Ampadu, can fill in there but it is not their natural position, and the overlapping centre-backs are a key part of the club's strategy.

Amongst the players they were linked with were Huddersfield Town's Terence Kongolo, Preston North End's Ben Davies and Bournemouth's Diego Rico.

Wilder is also not expecting any more players to leave to leave Bramall Lane this year.

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