Sheffield United leave open prospect of free agent signing as Jack O'Connell omitted from official squad list
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The defender, battling for fitness following two knee operations, was left off the 24-man squad list submitted to the league earlier this month, leaving one space for a possible free agent if the chance arises.
Championship clubs are limited to naming 25 ‘senior’ players at any one time, defined as a player aged 21 or over on January 1, 2022. But loan players of any age have to be included – as is the case with United’s 19-year-old Manchester City loanee James McAtee.
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Hide AdA separate list submitted to the EFL is made up of under-21 contracted players, including the likes of Daniel Jebbison, Will Osula and Oli Arblaster.
Ismaila Coulibaly, who returned to United in the summer after his loan spell at Beerschot in Belgium, has been included in the senior squad list despite currently being sidelined with injury.
Although United are happy with their squad at full strength, there are a number of weak points created by various other injury issues and the free agent market may come into play between now and January.
Last season, United considered offering a deal to right-back Andre Wisdom before opting against it after inviting the former Liverpool man to train with them.
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Hide AdOmitting O’Connell makes sense if, as seems to be the case, he is unlikely to be available before January, when the squads must be re-submitted following the closure of the transfer window.
Blades squad in full (Seniors)
1 Ahmedhodzic, Anel
2 Baldock, George Henry Ivor
3 Basham, Christopher Paul
4 Berge, Sander Gard Bolin
5 Bogle, Jayden Ian
6 Brewster, Rhian Joel
7 Clark, Ciaran
8 Coulibaly, Ismaila Cheick
9 Davies, Adam Rhys
10 Doyle, Thomas Glyn
11 Egan, John
12 Fleck, John Alexander
13 Foderingham, Wesley Andrew
14 Khadra, Reda
15 Lowe, Max Josef
16 McAtee, James John
17 McBurnie, Oliver
18 Ndiaye, Iliman Cheikh Baroy
19 Norrington-Davies, Rhys Llewelyn
20 Norwood, Oliver James
21 Osborn, Benjamin Jarrod
22 Robinson, Jack
23 Sharp, Billy Louis
24 Stevens, Enda
Under 21 Contract players
1 Amissah, Jordan
2 Angell, Thomas
3 Arblaster, Oliver Luke
4 Ayari, Hassan Ben Kamel
5 Barratt, Connor James
6 Boyes, Harry
7 Brooks, Andre Chance
8 Brunt, Zak Rian
9 Buyabu, Jili
10 De Macedo Geremias, Fernando
11 Dewhurst, Marcus Robert
12 Freckleton, Miguel Oliver
13 Gaxha, Leonardo
14 Gomis, Nicksoen
15 Gordon, Kyron Silveria
16 Hackford, Antwoine
17 Hiddleston, Callum
18 Jebbison, Daniel David
19 Maguire, Francis William
20 Marsh, Louie Joseph
21 Neal, Harrison
22 Osula, William Idamudia Daugard
23 Peck, Sydie Frederick
24 Pitan, Levis Omodele
25 Potter, Finley John
26 Seriki, Oluwafemi Ibrahim
27 Smith, Joshua
28 Starbuck, Joseph Richard
29 Wharton, Dylan
30 Williams, Luther
31 Williams, Theo
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