Winger Chieo Ogbene has completed a season-long loan move to Sheffield United.

The 28-year-old was given permission to leave the Republic of Ireland camp earlier today to undergo a medical with the Blades.

The deal is a straight loan with no option or obligation, or recall in January.

Ogbene, a former Rotherham player, says he’s moving to familiar territory.

“I’m very happy and excited. It is an honour to be at a great club. I’ve lived here for four years, so I like to think I know what this club means to the people and the city. It is a huge honour to be here,” he told the club’s official website.

“I have a feeling about what Sheffield United means to the people, so to be part of it now and to be immersed into this club which has over 130 years of incredible history and has a passionate fanbase, it is something I want to be part of.

“It is almost like my second home in England and given the stature, it was one I had to take. It is an opportunity you don't pass up on.”

Ogbene made his return from the ruptured achilles he suffered at Brentford in October last year during pre-season and made two starts ahead of schedule and one sub appearance in the first month of the season, but with the Blues subsequently adding to their wide right options since, among them his international teammate Kasey McAteer.

Explaining Ogbene’s situation after Saturday’s game against Derby, manager Kieran McKenna said: “There’s a possibility, and it’s only a possibility, that Chieo might go on loan.

“A player, of course, coming back from a really, really big injury. He’s done terrific to get himself out there for us this year, but probably had to come into competitive games sooner than would have been ideal.

“So, we feel, Chieo feels, that a period now where he can possibly build up his minutes on loan, really just focus on getting his body to the best condition and play really regularly for someone over the next period, could be beneficial, get himself up to full speed. That’s an option we’re looking at over the weekend.”

Ogbene had a trial with the Blues when a Limerick player in January 2018 along with Barry Cotter but wasn’t offer terms and instead joined Brentford.

He finally signed on at Portman Road last summer following an £8 million move from Luton, signing a four-year deal, but had made only four starts and two sub appearances before suffering his season-ending injury against the Bees.

Sheffield United, who are currently bottom of the Championship following four defeats in their opening four games, are Town’s next opponents at Portman Road a week on Friday. Ogbene will be ineligible against his parent club.

Photo: Matchday Images

Mark added 17:39 - Sep 1 Are they paying a loan fee and 100% of his wages? £8m is a lot of money to lose. The injury was really unfortunate but I was looking forward to seeing Ogbene in the team, as his pace would be so useful. Anyway, best of luck to him.
6

Aero added 17:40 - Sep 1 Hopefully we have included a January recall. People probably have forgotten but he was named Irish player of the season last year.
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grinch added 17:43 - Sep 1 Not good this one ..he could get back to full fitness coming off the bench for 25 mins...better player than McAteer was star of championship for Luton and takes on players which we lack...as Leicster fans have said you picked a benchwarmer so why put him ahead of Ogdene strange and bad decision really. Been a bad day to be a town fan really
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Nottsblue66 added 17:49 - Sep 1 We are selling and loaning players to rival teams which lunacy Ogdene-sheff- utd Chaplin-portsmouth Wolf-coventry city I've lost confidence in Ashton & McKenna destroyed a good team and brought in some crap
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rdibble added 17:49 - Sep 1 What a waste of money all that pace never beats his man or looks like threatening the goal they can have him and give us some of that 8 million
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armchaircritic59 added 17:58 - Sep 1 Good luck for the season Chieo, hope you can back to 100% fitness and retain that sheer pace you have. Should be a good loan for the Blades if so.
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Steelmonkey added 18:00 - Sep 1 Best of luck Chieo, was so looking forward to seeing you play at PR, as I was last season, such a shame you got that injury so early on, have a great season and come back stronger.
5

algarvefan added 18:13 - Sep 1 Only time will tell how good or bad this window is? We must however stick with what will be a fairly new squad and hope it comes good. Disappointed for Chieo as think he would have prefered to stay but mostly I'm gutted to see Chaplin go, think he was one of our better players Saturday.
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darkhorse28 added 18:28 - Sep 1 No mention of a January recall. No behaviour fits the rhetoric at the minute, it’s so chaotic. Going out for fitness, but for a full season, that doesn’t make any sense. He likely isn’t good enough, and another poor signing, we didn’t get value from, even serious injury aside, his end product isn’t quite good enough, good athlete though, wish him luck.
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PhilR added 18:28 - Sep 1 No waste of money on him yet. We risk bad injuries on all players, just have to accept that. Hopefully can get him back in Jan if we want. The club will know where he is at, and likely needs a considerable time to get really fit and going again, and won't be doing that at our cost. We have other fit options in that position. Hopefully, if he comes really good we can recall him. He will be back with us next Summer, if he has got back to his best we can keep him or sell him then

1

ITFC_1994 added 18:29 - Sep 1 Like others have said, was looking forward to seeing ogbene for us this season... is Macateer any better? Time will tell I guess... Shame as seems like a great guy and was clearly a great player pre injury.... Ashton had a real principle of only signing "top lads", hope we haven't lost that.... but clearly losing too in Ogbene and Chappers..... Let's see what the new lads bring, but I'm disappointed in losing Chappers, Ogbene and Wolf on the last day of the window... As others have said, Sheff Utd and Cov could easily be "rivals" come the end of the season, so hope we don't regret these moves... Losing Chappers, Burgess, Wolfy, Morsy and Broady in one window is absolutely brutal and none of them got a proper send off :( Hopefully the championship lads return to PR this season so we ca give them one. Club Legends for sure. In terms of consistency and quality, I'd have to say chappers is in the 3 best ITFC players in my lifetime. Sorry, this post is about Ogbene, I'm just emotional.... haha Cajuste is clas btw COYB

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Karlosfandangal added 18:29 - Sep 1 Moan when we don’t sign player then moan we have only brought crap Where will Obene go…………he is not as good as McAteer at the minute……Elig will be first choice plus Clarke…..then Burns on the way back Chaplin will be behind Szomdics and Akpom Town have a better team and will soon climb the table Stop moaning and get behind the team
4

BeachBlue added 18:48 - Sep 1 Am I they only one who thinks he's not coming back? I honestly don't know why but I feel this will become a permanent move next summer.
3

Billericay12 added 18:53 - Sep 1 Didn’t see anything to suggest he could get past the full back the way Omari did. Clearly not the player he was pre injury so surely the right decision. Let someone else have him while he is only at 50 -60% and if he gets back to a high level he is still our player to use or sell at a good price. On current form he would only be 3rd or 4th choice when Burns is fit.

2

SickParrot added 19:00 - Sep 1 Makes sense to let him go out on loan. He's only just returned from a bad injury but prior to that injury his weapons were his pace and stamina. Unfortunately in the games he has featured in this season those attributes have been missing. If he regains his pace and fitness at Sheff Utd we may benefit next season.
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BlueDread added 19:16 - Sep 1 Never really had time to show us his worth due to early serious injury. Right decision to loan him out.
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Rimsy added 19:48 - Sep 1 The way he's waxing lyrical about Sheffield, doesn't sound like he has much intention of returning here. Hopefully he'll do well enough that we can recoup some of the fee we spent on him.
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OliveR16 added 20:14 - Sep 1 This makes no sense (like quite a lot of today's events). Why would he get more game time at a promotion (or at the time of writing, relegation) rival? If he's good enough to play regularly for another parachute payment team, he's good enough for us. All that recovery for this? I despair.
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