Sheffield United deny Morgan Gibbs-White could have signed earlier on loan from Wolverhampton Wanderers

The playmaker arrived from Wolverhampton Wanderers on August 31 and was so instrumental to the Blades' play-off push he was named their player of the season. When he went back to Molineux after suffering a mid-season injury, Wolves floated the idea of recalling him for the second half of the campaign, but he stressed he wanted to return and finish what he started.

When the England Under-17 World Cup winner signed he gave the impression it might have been possible to do a deal as early as July, but Blades chief executive Stephen Bettis insists this was not the case.

"I think he was really pushing to go out on loan because he knew he wasn't going to play," he said.

"I think Morgan's a problem if he doesn't play, I don't think he's the nicest person to have around if he doesn't and I quite like that in a character.

"I think he was pushing to go out and they (Wolves) were unsure (what to do).

"We got a phonecall the day before we signed him. That morning we got the call and me and Slav (then-manager Slavisa Jokanovic) did a Zoom call with him and his family and his agent that night and convinced him to sign so he came the next morning and did it.

"We wanted him the previous season as well."

Unfortunately, Gibbs-White's performances were so good, there seems little prospect of him returning to Bramall Lane next season now that they have missed out on promotion.

Wolves have reportedly offered him a new contract in the face of interest from Premier League clubs Southampton, Nottingham Forest and Leeds United, plus AC Milan.