January transfer window: Adam Davies move to Sheffield United sees him link up with Paul Heckingbottom once more

The 29-year-old Wales international moves to Bramall Lane as the Blades shuffle their goalkeeping pack in the January transfer window.

Davies will be expected to compete for the No 1 spot with Wes Foderingham after first-choice Robin Olsen and back-up Michael Verrips moved on this month.

He is the Blades' first signing since Heckingbottom took over as manager in November. The Yorkshiremanis also looking to add a central defender to his squad after missing out on John Souttar.

A Sheffield Wednesday youth product, it was at Barnsley where Davies made his senior debut and built his reputation.

He had already started his over-200-appearance Oakwell career by the time Heckingbottom took over as manager there, but was part of the side he led to promotion from League One and the Football League Trophy in 2016.

By the time he won a second League One promotion with the Reds - this time automatically, rather than through the play-offs - Davies was the club captain and the PFA's goalkeeper of the year for the division. Unfortunately for Barnsley, that team was broken up and Davies left for Stoke.

Gordon Banks and Peter Shilton's old club have always had a reputation for good goalkeepers, and the competition was stiff enough to restrict him to 33 Championship starts in two-and-a-half years, competing with likes of Angus Gunn, England Under-21 international and former Doncaster Rovers loanee Joe Bursik and Jack Butland.

It did not stop him making his Wales debut in a friendly in Finland in September where he kept a clean sheet.

But with Frank Fielding signed on a short-term deal in December, Stoke manager Michael O'Neill felt the Blades' offer for Davies would allow him to reinvest elsewhere.

Olsen was injured in the November international break and Foderingham, unconvincing in the period between Aaron Ramsdale's August sale and the Swede's arrival, has been a solid understudy.

"We needed another goalkeeper and Adam ticks the boxes for us, he was keen and eager to make the switch and is looking forward to getting started with (goalkeeper coach) Matt Duke at Shirecliffe," said Heckingbottom.