Mo Besic's Sheffield United career is over with no hard feelings, and Panagiotis Retsos and Richairo Zivkovic's could soon be too

While Dean Henderson featured in the Blades' Premier League return at Aston Villa on Wednesday, fellow loanees Besic, Retsos and Zivkovic were not involved even in the expanded 20-man squad, or declared injured.

Besic has returned to Everton, and decisions are expected before Sunday's trip to Newcastle United on the other two, but manager Chris Wilder says there are no hard feelings towards anyone unwilling to extend their stay beyond June 30.

“I’ve no issue,” he insisted. “We’ve had a couple of loan players who won’t re-sign and I understand that. They don’t want to put themselves in that position (of missing out on a future transfer because of injury), because of lack of opportunities. They've got to look at their careers longer-term.

“But all of our main players, all of the main actors, that are out of contract and in that situation have re-signed.

“We've not got many out of contract, really but we've dealt with them.

“As a football club, whenever we step out onto the pitch, we need everyone pulling in the same direction. We can’t have people breaking the chain, not our players and not the way we play, and how far the football club's come in a short period of time.

“If anyone doesn't want to be a part of it, absolutely no problem. We've not had major issues, only a couple where we fully respect their decision, and I said all along I would respect the decision of people.

“We've signed good people and they'll make those decisions according to how they feel and what they feel is best for themselves and their careers.

“One was Mo Besic and I won't name the other player because we're possibly 24, 48 hours before coming to that decision.

“I should imagine we’ll be making a statement soon. Mo's not been with us for a month and it's a decision regarding Panos and Richairo. We’ll make those decisions over the next 24, 48 hours in conjunction with the players. The details will be in that statement.”

Besic, who was on loan at Middlesbrough last term, has only started two Premier League matches this season, while Retsos's appearance came as a substitute in the FA Cup at Reading. That is the only game Zivkovic has been in a matchday squad for, though he did not make it onto the pitch. Phil Jagielka was the only key figure whose contract was due to expire this month, and he was on the bench at Villa Park.

Typically Premier League playing contracts and loans run until June 30, and sides and the players themselves have until a week beforehand to make a decision on whether to renew them. Clubs who have decided against keeping a player have tended to say they will not use them even in June's remaining games so as not to affect team harmony.

Premier League clubs had to submitted updated 25-man squads in January, and are unable to change them for the resumption.

The Blades have a small and settled group of players, and were tested when centre-back Jack O'Connell was injured in the build-up to Wednesday's 0-0 draw, having previously played every minute of the league campaign.

John Fleck also missed out through a training ground injury, while David McGoldrick picked up a heavy knock late on, but finished the game.

None of the trio have been ruled out of Sunday's game.

“Jack has got a chance of playing and John has got a chance of playing,” said Wilder. “David McGoldrick, who landed awkwardly, is hopefully going to be training today and he's got a chance as well.

“An enormous of effort went into it. The first game of the restart was always going to be a difficult one but we came through it unscathed. I thought we looked strong towards the end.

“We weren't at our best with the ball but we had a decent shape without it.”

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