Sheffield United boss rubbishes Manchester City loan clause talk

With on-loan Manchester City duo James McAtee and Tommy Doyle both starting last weekend’s game against Luton Town on the bench, rumours have been circulating that the midfielders were omitted from Heckingbottom’s first choice eleven because of pay-as-they-play clauses written into their agreements. As well as denying the existence of any such conditions, the 45-year-old reminded that it is commonplace for English Football League clubs to face penalties if they fail to pick players borrowed from Premier League outfits. However, City are understood to have made no demand of this nature when sanctioning the youngsters’ moves to South Yorkshire at the beginning of the present campaign.

MORE: Tommy Doyle selection explained

“No, there’s nothing like that in there,” said Heckingbottom. “And in any case, it’s more usual for that to be the other way around.”

Second in the Championship table, United’s lead over third-placed Middlesbrough could be down to a single point by the time they visit Sunderland on Wednesday, with Michael Carrick’s men facing Stoke City tomorrow night. Heckingbottom discovered United had been placed under a transfer embargo earlier this term, which prevented him from making any new signings during the January transfer window. They are also the subject of a proposed takeover by businessman Dozy Mmobuosi, although the Nigerian’s attempt to seize control, which is currently awaiting EFL approval, is not thought to be a factor in United’s difficulties with the governing body.

MORE: Transfer embargo must be lifted

Both McAtee and Doyle are expected to be involved at the Stadium of Light, with the latter’s omission from the team which began the meeting with Town a result of United’s desire to manage his workload following a series of calf injuries.

"From now until the end, everything is going to be big,” Heckingbottom said, with United also facing Blackburn Rovers in the FA Cup quarter-finals on Sunday. “If we produce, every game will get bigger and more intense. We want that to be the case. We want them to keep getting bigger from here on in.”