Sheffield United boss prepares for decision on teenager with 'a real big future'

United have a recall clause regarding the England under-20 player, whom Heckingbottom has tipped to have 'a real big future' down the line at Bramall Lane.

The 19-year-old has featured 20 times this term for Vale and an option to recall him and send the teenager up to a higher level is a possibility, potentially.

Heckingbottom, who worked with academy product Arblaster during his time there, said: "He's doing really well.

"It was the right thing to do, to send him out, for his development, but he would have got minutes here. Maybe not as many.

"It would have also helped us because he wouldn't have counted as one of the 25-man squad, because he's under-age, but I feel it would have been a really selfish decision to keep him in.

"People know what we think of him, we think he has a real chance and potentially a real big future here.

"So it was important, in our eyes, that we got him out, playing games as often as possible. He's done that and he's performing well. It was 100 per cent the right thing.

"What we do in January or at the end of the season, we'll have to wait and see."