Sheffield United v Portsmouth: Chris Wilder makes admission regarding ex-Arsenal man as buoyant Blades steel themselves for the Championship run home

The parent clubs of the loan quartet all currently reside in the Premier League, although the top-flight status of three in Southampton, Ipswich Town and Leicester City is decidedly precariouss.

United’s latest loanee in central defender Holding, who has joined on loan from Crystal Palace, is available for today’s home encounter with Portsmouth.

Chris Wilder admits to being delighted to recruit a player of his pedigree and as with his other loan arrivals, the Blades chief has reveals that the club could throw their hat into the ring to sign the 29-year-old on a permanent basis if his time at Bramall Lane is rewarding and successful.

That is only likely to transpire if the Blades return to the big time in late spring.

Wilder said: "You don’t get signed by a club like Arsenal if you haven’t got anything about you and you aren't a little bit special and you don’t stay for that length of time as well.

"He (Holding) has worked under three impressive managers and at one of the biggest clubs in the country. He has had to do things right from day to day.

"Rob is a straight loan to the end of the season, but certainly somebody who we would be interested in if a loan goes well as we have talked about in terms of all the players we have brought in on loan - Hamza, Ben Brereton Diaz and Harry Clarke as well. He (Clarke) has not been in the frame at Ipswich and wants to play first-team football.

"There’s always that medium to long-term view with all the players we bring in."

Heading into the run-in, United have not just new signings on deck, but players also returning from the treatment room in timely fashion.

Midfielder Tom Davies will be in the mix for the Middlesbrough home game next Wednesday, while striker Kieffer Moore is poised to return for the trip to Luton next weekend.

Wing-back Femi Seriki should be in contention for the key derby with Leeds United on February 24 to further strengthen the Blades’ hand for the run home.

Wilder continued: “It’s game on, 16 games to go. We’ll be looking at each other’s results, we can’t get away from that. Everybody will be looking at the results in midweek and last Saturday and this Saturday.

“The exciting part of the season is coming up where you have to be strong physically. You have to maintain form and performances and be consistent with results and be really tough mentally.

“We are in a fabulous position with it all to play for and we have to embrace and enjoy the position we are in and the challenge ahead.”

While Holding is in the mix, fellow deadline-day recruits Jefferson Cáceres and Christian Nwachukwu have been brought in with an eye on the longer-term, Wilder continued.

On the young wingers, brought in from Peruvian and Bulgarian football respectively, he commented: "We've talked enough about it, it's a longer-term view as (CEO) Steve Bettis said in his interview and it's going to be an interesting development in seeing how these boys go.

"It's a tough ask for anyone to come into the country and hit the ground running, but if we get some sort of involvement between now and the end of the season, then it's a bonus for them and for me.”

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