Sheffield United transfer deadline day news: Ismael Kone emerges as option if Sander Berge joins Club Brugge

With the clubs still haggling, that is by no means a certainty, but it appears Kone has been lined up just in case. Earlier in the day, the Blades had also been linked with Barnsley's in-demand midfielder Callum Styles.

Paul Heckingbottom said earlier this week he had "asked the question" about whether he would be able to sign another midfielder after John Fleck fractured his leg last month, but was pessimistic about it happening.

This has been a frugal transfer window at Bramall Lane with only one transfer fee paid, for Bosnian centre-back Anel Ahmedhodzic. Already the £4.1m paid is looking like shrewd business.

The fee for Kone is expected to top that at £4.5m potentially rising to £5m. It seems likely either both deals or neither will happen in the final hours of trading for 2022.

All summer the expectation was that the Blades would have a decision to make on whether to sell Norwegian midfielder Berge, who was their record signing when he joined from Genk for £22m in January 2020. Had any club met his £35m release fee, the Blades would have been powerless to stop him going, but Heckingbottom has always maintained he would not want the club to sell for less.

As well as a return to the Belgian league where he caught United's eye, Brugge can also offer Champions League football, with their campaign starting with Wednesday's visit of Bayer Leverkusen.

Ivory Coast-born Kone has not played European football, and is currently with Major League Soccer side Montreal.

Kone revealed last month a move to Norwich City had fallen through when they failed to agree a transfer fee.

“They came to the door, they made a concrete offer. Yes, they came to watch me, but we didn't agree on the business side,” he said. "I don't think about when I'm going there, where I'm going to be, etc. I focus on me, to become the best player possible and help the team. I focus on now and that's it."