Sheffield United: The route which could lead Jamal Blackman back to Bramall Lane

Blackman returned to his parent club over the weekend after Wilder, insisting “our players should” feature in Sunday’s final match of the Championship campaign, named Simon Moore in the team which beat Bristol City.

With Blackman growing in stature as the season progressed, coaching staff would welcome the possibility of bringing him back to South Yorkshire. But, having agreed a new contract with the Londoners before moving north 10 months ago, the 24-year-old is likely to prove beyond United’s budget. Unless another temporary agreement can be brokered.

Blackman, a former England youth international, is highly-regarded at Stamford Bridge. Hence the decision to award him an improved deal, running until 2021, before sanctioning his departure in July.

The explosion in Premier League wages means terminating that contract is likely to prove prohibitively expensive.

But, with Blackman known to be keen on playing regular first team football, Chelsea will again look to park him elsewhere unless there is a major change in their goalkeeping situation or officials identify a shortfall on Antonio Conte’s home-grown quota.

Moore has held preliminary talks about extending his stay with United who, The Star understands, can trigger a 12 month option contained within his present deal. Those discussions are set to be resume before Wilder’s squad begins pre-season training.