Sheffield United redouble efforts to bring in full-back

Freeman spent a temporary spell at Bramall Lane in the final months of the season, but a move to bring him back has not materialised and Clough does not envisage rekindling his interest, as it stands.

Clough remains keen on bringing John Brayford back from Cardiff City on loan in an ideal world, but acknowledges he must adopt a ‘wait and see’ attitude until he knows what the Welsh club intend to do with the former Rams player next season.

Clough, close to signing Blackpool’s teenage centre-half Harrison McGahey, said: “If he (Brayford) is going to be part of a promotion challenge, then there’s nothing we can do. I think we will get a better idea in the next few weeks.

“We would never close the door on someone like John. We certainly need someone in the full-back position, probably two (players). Ideally, we’d like one and a cover as if there’s anywhere where we are light, it’s the full-back area.”

Clough confirmed that moving out goalkeeper George Long on loan to enable him to get some experience is an avenue he is currently exploring in 2014-15 - but at the moment, the England U20 custodian is concentrating on getting a good pre-season under his belt.

Clough said: “We have had one or two enquiries for George, but nothing has been firmed up yet. We hope something will get done before the start of the season.

“It would not be a standard loan. But if we went with Mark (Howard) as our number one, then young George Willis would sit on the bench.

“How many times do you use a young substitute keeper throughout the season anyway. And we don’t just want George (Long) sitting there for sixty matches when as a young player, he will not have progressed at all.