Boss Kieran McKenna says midfielder Cameron Humphreys, who has joined League One promotion hopefuls Huddersfield Town for the rest of the season, has been unlucky not to have played more regularly for the Blues during the first half of the campaign.

Humphreys, whose contract is up in the summer but with the club having an option for a further season, has made three brief Championship sub appearances this season, in addition to his only start in the Carabao Cup.

The 22-year-old’s former loan club Wycombe Wanderers were also keen, while we understand Championship Oxford United made an approach but with their management situation currently unsettled with former Chairboys boss and one-time Town academy player and coach Matt Bloomfield the current frontrunner.

The move to the Terriers sees Humphreys reunited with Lee Grant, who was a first-team coach at Town prior to becoming manager of the West Yorkshire club, who are fourth in the League One table, in the summer.

“He is a player we think very highly of,” McKenna said. “He’s been unlucky this year, I have to say. You look at our injury record and I think we have had by far the best injury record of anyone in the Championship.

“A couple of young players like Cameron and Elkan [Baggott] have never been far from the team and they are an important part of the group.

“The midfielders have rarely missed a day’s training and especially in Jens [Cajuste]’s case, who had more issues last year, he’s been in a really good spot physically. And the same with the centre-halves - I don’t think the three of them have missed a day.

“It’s been a little bit harder to get Cameron the minutes that he deserves and we would want for him. We knew if we got to January and that was still the case, we would look at the option of him going out on loan.

“He’s going to a really good League One club with a really good playing style and a manager who he really knows. You never make the decision based solely on that, but it can help with the settling in period.

“They have got some big games coming up and I think he's going to be an important part of their team from day one. It made sense and it was good to get it done early.”

McKenna says Baggott could also be sent out on loan in the second half of the season, while midfielder Fin Barbrook could be sent for another spell.

As reported last month, Sheffield United are keen on Harry Clarke, who is yet to play for the Blues this season, to return to Bramall Lane on loan having spent the second half of 2024/25 with the Blades.

Photo: Matchday Images