Sheffield United transfer news: Premier League Blades face stiff competition from RC Lens and Ajax Amsterdam to sign Chuba Akpom from Championship club Middlesbrough FC

The future of the 27-year-old, out of contract next summer, has been raging throughout the close season, with Lens having fired the first salvo by way of an £8m offer, which has reportedly been rejected by the Teessiders.

Lens want to bring in Akpom to replace last season’s leading scorer, Lois Openda, who has joined German club RB Leipzig for around £40m.

The Blades, with transfer funds at their disposal following the sales of Iliman Ndiaye and Sander Berge, have made Akpom - Championship player-of-the-season last term with 29 goals in all competitions - a top target, while Ajax are also in the hunt.

Akpom is in the final year of his contract at Boro and despite discussions over a new deal, no agreement has yet been reached.

The frontman was an unused substitute on the bench in Saturday's Championship opener against Millwall, after missing the pre-season programme with a knee issue.

Alongside Josh Coburn, Akpom was not involved in Tuesday night's EFL Cup win at Huddersfield Town, but boss Michael Carrick said it was due to the fact that he stayed behind on Teesside to work on his fitness ahead of Saturday's league game at Coventry City.

Speaking after the 3-2 success at Huddersfield, Carrick said: "There is no setback. They (Akpom and Coburn) just needed another training day with it being midweek, to be honest.

"The explanation is that on Saturday they were on the bench because it was a weekend and they'd had a training week so it was more about getting them back.

"Tonight (Tuesday), we did not really want to lose them any more base training and to be on the bench - and maybe come on or not come on.

"They have been training today and will train tomorrow (Wednesday) as well, getting themselves back and as fit as possible."

On whether Akpom will be involved this coming weekend, Carrick continued: "It's still early to be fair. He has not been training for that long.

"Hopefully, he may be in and around the group. But he has still got a bit to do to be fully fit."