Sheffield United hope Daniel Jebbison will play for them again this season - and beyond

The 20-year-old Canadian striker has not played this season because of a blood clot, further stalling a career which has not yet taken off as hoped after a bright start.

But the Blades have faith in one of the young academy graduates manager Chris Wilder wants to rebuild his side around next season. They have offered Jebbison a deal to replace the one which expires in June and are hopeful after months of impasse he will sign it.

There is also optimism he could feature before the end of the Premier League season, which for the Blades has seven games to run.

“It’ll be good for him to get back and hopefully with that, we'll have the contract wrapped up and he’ll be a Sheffield United player," said Wilder, who has a more immediate decision to make on the fitness of Jack Robinson ahead of Saturday's Premier League game at Brentford.

"It’s positive signs, and hopefully we’ll have some good news soon.

“We're very positive that we can come to some sort of agreement with Dan. It's taken its time – he’s been out injured for quite a while but he’s making progress. He’s one of the players that hopefully we'll see before the end of the season."

Jebbison made his debut as the Blades were heading towards their last Premier League relegation in 2021, the youngest scorer on his first start in the competition.

Since that season he has only made 30 appearances in all competitions for the club, scoring twice. He had loans at non-league Chorley and half a season at Burton Albion, which yielded nine goals.

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Manager Paul Heckingbottom said contract talks were taking place with Jebbison in August.

Meanwhile, Wilder will give as long as possible for Robinson to declare himself fit for the Blades' first trip to Brentford's Community Stadium, but has promised not to take undue risks.

The defender has probably been their player of the season, and the captain since the second half of the 6-0 defeat at home to Arsenal.

He has been involved in every Premier League game this season bar the trip to Chelsea, which he missed through suspension. But he injured an ankle in Sunday's game against the Blues.

"One of the things we had a look at in review and reflection (of the club’s injury record) is the risk and reward policy so we have to make sensible decisions," said Wilder.

"Short-term regarding Jack, if that's not a sensible decision I don't want to risk that for the longer-term.

"We'll give him every chance to be involved at the weekend but he rolled his ankle so we need to get that swelling down and hopefully get him back out on the grass. It's going to be a late decision.

"I think everyone knows what we think about him at the football club, the supporters (too). He's a great character and a warrior so he'll want play, we'll want him to play, we've just got to make sure we don't risk him that if he does play, he's out for the remaining part of the season because there's still a few games (six more) to go."