Sheffield United deadline day: Defensive addition gives Chris Wilder more tactical options

The Blades left it to the final hours to complete the third of the three senior signings manager Wilder had targeted.

Wilder wanted a right-sided centre-back, a goalkeeper and a forward in this window, and sent Luke Thomas back from his loan at Leicester City to give him the option on one of them coming on loan from a Premier League club.

After exploring a number of options, Wilder has been able to land Doncaster-born Barnsley product Holgate.

The former England Under-21 international spent the first half of the season on loan at Championship Southampton, although he only made six appearances.

Although a centre-back by preference, the 27-year-old can play anywhere across the defence. Three of his Saints outings were at right-back.

His arrival therefore gives Wilder the option of sticking with a back four, switching to three central defenders, or using him at full-back.

Since returning for a second spell as manager of the club he once played for, Wilder has largely used a back four, the only exceptions being games at Manchester City and Aston Villa. Holgate's arrival gives him more scope to switch to the three at the back which was the hallmark of his first spell as and when he chooses.

It also means he has more cover at right-back, where an ongoing calf problem has limited George Baldock to 10 Premier League starts. Jayden Bogle is the other option in that position.

With left-back Max Lowe's fitness also unreliable, central defender has been an at-times ill-fitting left-back in four of Wilder's matches this season. Now back from the African Cup of Nations, Yasir Larouci is another option there, but more of a wing-back than a full-back.

Despite that, Thomas was allowed to return to Leicester, and then to join Middlesbrough, because he was taking up one of the club's two domestic loan spots, with Manchester City's James McAtee in the other.

Holgate started at Barnsley but was quickly picked up by Everton in 2015, two years after signing John Stones from Oakwell.

He has more than 100 Premier League starts to his name, and that experience was a big attraction for Wilder.