Sheffield United transfer news: Cameron Archer close as Paul Heckingbottom weighs up final-week options

Archer's £18m signing from Aston Villa is close enough that even manager Paul Heckingbottom is acknowledging it, his interest in the City pair who spent last season on loan at Bramall Lane obvious enough that he does not hide it.

But with a variety of plates spinning ahead of Friday's 11pm transfer deadline, the Blades face the treble winners on Sunday without any additions from the squad beaten at Nottingham Forest nine days earlier.

"I'm hoping it's happening," said Heckingbottom, not even bothering to hide behind the stock football excuse of refusing to talk about other club's players when asked about England Under-21 international Archer. "I would have loved and Cameron would have loved to get it over the line to be involved on Sunday, but we haven't.

"There's deals there to be done but we want to make sure we can get the best possible outcome. We have to be able to see them adding to the team, the squad, the group."

Oli McBurnie was back in training ahead of the game, but whether he is fit enough to start must be open to question having not played a minute of football this season.

Without him, and with Daniel Jebbison ill and Rhian Brewster injured, that would mean having to once more rely on Will Osula – a 20-year-old without a senior start until this season – to lead the line against the best team in Europe.

It is another reminder of how under-prepared the newly-promoted Blades have been for August's step up, but they are working hard to make September is better.

Tight budgets and a Premier League rule that its clubs can only loan one player from each other, and two in total from England, means the success or failure of every possible loan has a knock-on effect. On top of Doyle and McAtee, the Blades are looking to borrow Manchester United winger Facundo Pellistri.

Heckingbottom is refusing to rule out more permanent deals.

He could not bring himself to admit that, but spoke openly about the Eastlands pair.

"We've got a lot of people and I'm not saying Facundo is one we're speaking about and speaking to," he said. "There's a lot that we're trying to get done knowing it's difficult.

"We've got quite a few irons in the fire where we cannot be relying on one and nothing happens."

Doyle finished last season as the Blades' holding midfielder, McAtee further forward. With the switch to a 3-4-2-1 formation this season, he would be one of the inside-forwards behind the central striker.

McAtee has been involved in all City's matchday squads so far this season, Doyle none.

"He's got one or two options," said Heckingbottom of the latter.

"We know. I've been in touch with his representatives a lot.

"It's always down to the parent clubs. We can speak to as many different players as we want, we have to get the player to want to come, the representatives, sometimes the families are involved, but we have to be respectful that all these players we are speaking to, apart from Tom Davies who had left Everton, are other people's players.

"We want good relationships with lots of clubs but certainly we want to make sure we do things right by everyone. That's the difficulty with bringing players in. A lot of people need to be happy to get a deal done.

"Both (McAtee) and Tommy came and made this place their home and everyone took to them, whether staff, the players, the fans. They were a credit to Mancesdter City and their families. Not only good footballers, but good lads as well.”

RIght wing-backs George Baldock and Jayden Bogle are back in full training and summer signing Anis Slimane due on Monday but Heckingbottom will have a decision to make at left wing-back on Sunday.

Max Lowe is out as the club weigh up if he needs surgery on his ankle ligaments. The natural replacement would be Yasser Larouci, who has had two substitute appearances to get a feel for English football.

"Probably you saw a good insight into what Yasser's strengths are when he came on against Forest," said Heckingbottom. "We've seen enough of him and know enough of him to know he's athletically good enough for the Premier League.

"I like him when he plays on the front foot, when he's got an aggressive mindset, plays forward, runs forward and particularly when we regain the ball he'll drive forward off the ball to be that first outlet for the first pass on a counter-attack."

Tom Davies is available to make his debut having built up his fitness after joining as a free agent, but his minutes will be limited.

"He's a fit boy, he's been doing all the work, you can see that, but he's missed so much of the football you just get from training, never mind first-team games," said Heckingbottom of the midfielder.

"I'm wary of two things – how that affects his body, I don't want him to risk injury, and his performance.

"I've no problem putting him on the pitch now but I wouldn't be expecting 90 minutes out of Tom."