On-loan Blues winger Chieo Ogbene is reportedly not in Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder’s plans for the second half of the campaign.
The Republic of Ireland international joined the Blades in August on loan for the season, largely in order to play more regularly as he returned to full fitness following his lengthy absence after rupturing his achilles at Brentford in October 2024.
Ogbene was a regular in the side until suffering a hamstring injury in Ireland’s 3-2 World Cup qualifier win in Hungary in November but hasn’t featured since.
Now, according to Alan Nixon, the 28-year-old isn’t in Wilder’s plans for the second half of the season.
Town have plenty of cover in Ogbene's right-sided attacking role - Sindre Walle Egeli, Kasey McAteer and Wes Burns - with no recall clause included in the deal and Nixon therefore suggests it would take another club to make an approach in January for the spell to be brought to an end.
However, having played for both Town and the South Yorkshiremen this season, Ogbene cannot play for a third club in 2025/26.
The former Luton Town winger will want to be playing regular football ahead of Ireland’s World Cup play-offs and then potentially place in the finals, but if Wilder isn’t keen on fielding him, may find himself kicking his heels.
As revealed on Tuesday, the Blades are keen to take Harry Clarke on loan for a second time in January, earlier reports of interest in Jack Clarke having been wide of the mark and quickly shut down by Blues boss Kieran McKenna.