Lys Mousset is told what he must do in order to realise his potential with Sheffield United

The centre-forward, a £10m signing from AFC Bournemouth, joined Chris Wilder’s squad in Scotland earlier this week, where they have been preparing for the new Premier League season - which begins with a game against Wolverhampton Wanderers on September 14.

A question mark has hung over Mousset’s future in South Yorkshire ever since he returned to France before the end of last term - with Wilder later insisting he had been granted leave of absence for compassionate reasons rather than because of a bust-up behind the scenes.

But the 24-year-old appears to have been granted a reprieve, with Wilder choosing to provide him with a roadmap into United’s first choice eleven before yesterday’s behind closed doors win over Heart of Midlothian.

“Lys, he’s come back alright,” Wilder told The Star. “Everyone is at different stages and at different periods. He’s got work to do but, then again, they all have. He’ll be fine. The physical demands of Premier League football are there for everyone to see and he knows what they are.”

Despite throwing a protective arm around Mousset’s shoulder, Wilder’s words suggest the striker still has plenty to do before convincing United’s coaching staff he has the mindset required to realise his potential. The source of the manager’s frustration stems not from any concerns about the player’s capabilities - privately, senior figures at the club believe he could develop into a £50m talent. But after struggling for fitness following his move to South Yorkshire - scoring the first of six goals at the end of September - they do harbour concerns about Mousset’s professionalism away from the pitch, and his conditioning in particular.

With Oli McBurnie and David McGoldrick set to miss next week’s friendlies at Derby County and Preston North End due to their international commitments, Mousset will be given a chance to stake a claim for a place in Wilder’s plans for the forthcoming clash with Wolves during United’s remaining warm-up fixtures. Liverpool’s Rhian Brewster is also being lined-up for a loan move.

“We’ve got a great group who work with him and all of the lads,” Wilder said, referring to United’s fitness experts. “Hopefully we can get a bit more out of Lys. He’ll be up and down for sure, because he’s a young player. But like the other young players, such as Oli, I’m sure they’ll get more consistent.”

“We’ve got experience up top, with Billy Sharp and David,” Wilder added. “And there are younger ones too. We’ve all got to look to improve, everyone, and try to be the best that we can possibly be.

“We know how tough it is at this level and we want to stick around in it. So that means everyone has got to be capable of putting it all in. We can’t let up. We’ve got to have that mentality.”

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