What Chris Wilder said about Billy Sharp's Sheffield United return hopes as striker nears Hull City move

Billy Sharp, the Sheffield United legend whose request to return to his boyhood club to train earlier this year was unsuccessful, is nearing a switch to Championship side Hull City as he takes the next step in his career. The 37-year-old is the Championship's all-time record goalscorer and will be relishing the task of adding to his tally with Liam Rosenior's revitalised Tigers.

Sharp became a free agent when his spell at LA Galaxy came to an end, with the MLS side opting not to exercise their clause to keep him at Dignity Health Sports Park for another season. After returning to England he revealed he had requested to train with his former United teammates to keep fit, but that did not materialise and Sharp is now understood to be close to signing for Hull.

Hull chairman Acun Ilicali has transformed his side's fortunes since taking over and is targeting a play-off push this season, with a number of new faces lined up in January to boost their hopes. "Of course the transfer window is very important and we are very focused to bring two or three more players to the club that will make us happy," he said.

"One's already done and unfortunately it's secret but very soon you will learn about him. I can say he was one of our targets and we are very happy to get him. We will get two or three more. We are dying to get to the play-offs and I hope God lets us.

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"I want all the fans to know we are working like crazy with the [recruitment] team, sometimes two or three-hour conversations with our coach and our recruitment team. I'm involved in most of them because I'm the one who's going to pay the money so they have to convince me too.

"With one of the players it took me almost two months to convince everybody. This one can be announced in two days maybe, who knows? The club website has to announce him but I'm the guy giving the clues!"

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Sharp and Wilder, both boyhood Blades fans who worked together to such good effect during the manager's first spell at Bramall Lane, caught up during the striker's time in America and also shared a chat before Wilder's comeback game against Liverpool, which saw Sharp on punditry duties with Amazon Prime.

"He looked smart, didn't he? The best he's been," smiled Wilder, speaking before the first win of his second spell at home to Brentford. "I caught up with him in America while he was out there. He's a good guy and he's had a fabulous time."

Asked if Sharp had repeated his request to train with United to him, he admitted: "I think if he could have got registered before five o'clock he might have turned out for us [against Liverpool]. Everyone knows Billy's affection and affiliation with the football club, that doesn't need explaining. But I've not thought about it, my head's down and there's other things I've got to get my head around, first and foremost, before I start thinking about stuff like that."