Chris Wilder has admitted that he “won’t hold a gun to the head” of Daniel Jebbison amid ongoing uncertainty over his Sheffield United future. The England youth international is out of contract in the summer and despite continually telling Wilder he is happy to stay at Bramall Lane, is yet to put pen to paper.
Wilder remains keen to see the 20-year-old forward stay, telling a pre-match press conference ahead of today’s clash with Nottingham Forest that he is hopeful that the deal could be sorted as soon as next week. But the ongoing saga, plus media links crediting Premier League-bound Ipswich Town with transfer interest, has left Blades fans wondering if they will see the youngster in a Blades shirt again.
Jebbison is back in training with United, having not made an appearance this season through a combination of injury and a pre-season blood clot that left him sidelined. The Blades have offered Jebbison what Wilder described as a “really strong contract”, with the manager describing the “vibe” coming from Jebbison’s camp as “positive” about his future being at Bramall Lane.
And the Blades chief added: “Until we get it over the line there’s always going to be that element of doubt but we’re pretty confident that we can get it done and it will happen. If it doesn’t, he doesn’t want to be here. I’m not going to put a gun to anyone’s head, I’m telling you. They’ve got to be all-in next year. Everyone’s got to be all-in, on everything we do.
“Whether it’s pre-season or up a mountain or a day out at the races. Or a long training session. Everyone’s got to be all-in. We can’t have people who just dip their toes in. So if there’s a doubt, and he doesn’t want to be here from a footballing point of view… that’s obviously got to match up in terms of his contractual situation and what’s right for him and what’s right for his agent but if he doesn’t want to be here, I can’t worry about that.”
United once turned down a big-money bid, thought to be in the region of £5m from Everton, for Jebbison, who made history as the youngest player to score on his full Premier League debut when he netted against the Toffees at Goodison Park during United’s last Premier League season. Because of his age and time spent at United the Blades would be entitled to some compensation should he move elsewhere in this country in the summer, but it would be a fraction of his true value if he fulfils his obvious potential.
“We need to protect ourselves, of course, and we don’t want to lose good players from the football club,” Wilder added. “Especially when there’s been so much work put into them from the academy and coming through into the first team.We don’t want to just waste that, but the biggest thing for me is that their attitude towards this football club, our football club, and do they want to be here? And if they don’t, if Jebbo doesn’t want to one for one reason or another, then that will be and we’ll work with what we’ve got. And the people who do want to be here.”
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