Sheffield United will bid again for Bournemouth's Aaron Ramsdale but aren't giving up hope on Dean Henderson

Although Chris Wilder has not entirely given up hope that Dean Henderson will return to Bramall Lane next season, the continued uncertainty about the 23-year-old’s immediate future has prompted him to make an approach for another of the country’s most promising goalkeepers.

Ramsdale, who started his career with United before being sold at the beginning of Wilder’s reign, is known to be keen on the prospect of rejoining his first professional club following Bournemouth’s relegation from the Premier League.

The Steelphalt Academy graduate was a rare success story at the Vitality Stadium last term, featuring in all but one of their 38 top-flight games and winning the supporters’ player of the year award.

It remains unclear if officials on the south coast rebutted United’s advances because of how the proposed package was structured or, as seems likely, after deciding Ramsdale is worth more having agreed a contract extension only 10 months ago.

But it is an indication of Wilder’s belief in his potential that he is prepared to pay more than 12 times the amount Bournemouth spent to acquire the youngster three years ago - when their former manager Eddie Howe lured him away following United’s League One title winning campaign.

Despite suggesting that Wilder is growing increasingly pessimistic about his chances of brokering a third loan deal for Henderson amid speculation he is poised to be installed as Manchester United’s number one, sources close to the former England under-21 international were privately briefing last week that there was a genuine possibility he would spend a third campaign in South Yorkshire should Ole Gunnar Solskjaer decide to keep faith with David de Gea before selling the Spaniard next summer.

Although United accept they will have to cover nearly all of Henderson’s estimated £280,000 a month salary if Solskjaer decides to send him out on loan again, they believe it is a price worth paying to retain a player who is expected to win his first senior cap ahead of the 2020 European Championships; which have been postponed until next summer because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Chelsea are known to be monitoring Henderson's situation closely as Frank Lampard considers replacing Kepa Arrizabalaga, with reports emerging from the capital that the Londoners, who were beaten 3-0 by United towards the end of the 2019/20 campaign, are prepared to double the Cumbrian's wages in order to tempt him south.

United are continuing their negotiations with Reading after making midfielder John Swift one of their leading targets during the transfer window while Matty Cash of Nottingham Forest is another player to attract Wilder's interest as he looks to provide extra competition on the right hand side of his defence.

Ben Osborn and Jack Robinson have already made the switch from the City Ground to United since Wilder steered them out of the Championship 16 months ago.

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