If, as he believes he will, Chris Wilder receives the five new players he has targeted this window, then Sheffield United will be undoubtedly stronger going into the final straight of the Championship promotion race. Wilder already has one new face through the door, albeit a familiar one in Ben Brereton Diaz, and hopes that Tom Cannon and Jonjoe Kenny will soon join him in South Yorkshire.
A central midfielder and reinforcements at centre-half will complete United’s promotion jigsaw, with another overlooked bonus if Wilder’s squad gets the reinforcements it needs. That could pave the way for some of United’s brightest young players to leave the Lane on loan, and gather some valuable first-team experience in the second half of the campaign.
The likes of Ryan One and Louie Marsh have been on the periphery of the first team in recent weeks but Brereton Diaz’s arrival, plus the impending addition of Leicester City forward Cannon, could push them further down the pecking order. Wilder has always been a big advocate of youngsters learning from United’s senior players every day in training but nothing can quite replicate the experience of playing regular men’s football in the lower leagues, with Marsh and One amongst those earmarked for potential loan deals before the window shuts.
Sheffield United striker wanted
United have also fielded an enquiry from another side about taking an unnamed senior player on loan this window, which was shut down and who we understand not to have been striker Rhian Brewster. Marsh has previous experience of first-team football at Doncaster Rovers, where his loan spell was cut short by a bad injury, while powerful 18-year-old One will also be a player of interest to a number of clubs in the lower leagues.
“We’ve had loads of calls regarding players,” Wilder admitted. “But everyone has recognised we’re light on bodies. Players we bring in will free up a couple of younger players to go out on loan. Ideally it would have happened with the summer but with the numbers situation they had to be part of the group.
“It won’t have done them any harm to be part of a team that’s gone well through 28 games and experienced what the changing room’s like and see the preparation at senior level. If we do bring a couple in, then we’ll look at numbers in the end. We’ve loads of talented young players so I would expect one or two of them to go out and play football.”
Queens Park Rangers have made contact over signing a left-footed player who has been likened to the great Pavel Nedved.
QPR transfer rumours
The Hoops have been flawless in the Championship in 2025, with Marti Cifuentes’ side winning all four league games in recent weeks.
Home victories over Watford and Luton Town were followed up by wins on the road at Plymouth Argyle and Hull City, with Cifuentes hailing his squad after the 2-1 win over the Tigers.
“I was happy for the three points but I want to give a lot of value to the players because it’s a difficult game away. Hull has changed a lot since we played them earlier in the season, the way they play and their approach is really different. It’s challenging, especially on a pitch like it was today, it was not optimal to play football.
“It wasn’t easy in a week like this when we saw the calendar, to play away at Plymouth and then Hull in the same week. It’s an incredible amount of miles but I think the guys responded really well against a difficult team to play against.
“We know that wins give you confidence but we need to keep on pushing. We have been on the other side, 12 games without a win, so it’s important to keep working and keep believing in what we do.”
Things are looking up for the R’s, who have also bolstered their squad this month with the signing of Ronnie Edwards on loan from Southampton.
More could be on the way, too, with reports suggesting that QPR are interested in Celtic forward Luis Palma, while they are in advanced talks to sign Aberdeen youngster Timothy Akindileni.
QPR make contact to sign Chelsea’s Harvey Vale
Alongside the duo, QPR are also thought to be interested in signing Chelsea midfielder Harvey Vale. That’s according to Sky Sports reporter Mark McAdam, who has claimed that QPR have made an enquiry to Chelsea over a move for Vale. However, Championship rivals Oxford United and West Brom have also done the same.
Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig has even previously compared Vale to Juventus icon Nedved, with the England U20 international described as a ‘flamboyant winger’ who is very fast and has ‘very good technical ability’. A move to Loftus Road could therefore be one to keep an eye on for Vale.
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