Crystal Palace developments may concern Sheffield United amid Chadi Riad interest | OneFootball

Chadi Riad featured for Crystal Palace against Chelsea, which may make it harder for Sheffield United to land the defender's services.

Sheffield United have eyed a loan move for Crystal Palace defender Chadi Riad, as the Blades look to bolster their Championship play-off bid.

Chris Wilder's men successfully defeated automatic promotion chasers Ipswich Town 3-1 on Saturday, with the likes of Callum O'Hare, Gustavo Hamer, and Patrick Bamford proving their attacking prowess.

The Blades remain just 17th in the second tier, but they sit nine points behind the play-off places with a game in hand on sixth-place Wrexham.

Sheffield United face another tough test this coming weekend, as they travel to a Millwall outfit who occupy fifth spot, and defeated rivals Charlton Athletic 4-0 last time out.

Sheffield United transfer target Chadi Riad features for Crystal Palace in Chelsea defeat

Wilder has eyed a loan move for Palace defender Riad, as he looks to bolster his backline before the current transfer window closes next week.

The 22-year-old has recently returned from an ACL injury, while his only appearance for the Eagles this season came in Sunday's 3-1 defeat to Chelsea.

However, Riad made a notable impact for Oliver Glasner's men, producing an assist, albeit a scrappy one, for Chris Richards's late consolation goal.

The fact that the centre-back has reminded Palace about his ability could make it more difficult for Sheffield United to secure their move for his services.

Furthermore, the Eagles are on a shocking 11-game winless run across all competitions, which includes their already infamous FA Cup defeat to National League North outfit Macclesfield.

Therefore, the under-pressure Glasner could turn to squad players such as Riad, as he vies to turn the South London outfit's fortunes around.

Additionally, the 22-year-old scored for the Palace Under-21s in their clash with Derby County on Monday, as the Premier League club continue to build up his minutes, likely in preparation for him to feature more regularly in the senior team.

The Eagles have also posted positively about the Morocco international, writing on X: "Back on the pitch yesterday. Goal for the CPFC Academy today. Keep working, Chadi."

Riad also appears more likely to earn more game time at Selhurst Park after former club captain and England defender Marc Guehi joined Manchester City.

Chadi Riad snub would be significant blow for Chris Wilder

Riad is a talented centre-back who made a senior appearance for Barcelona in the 2022/23 La Liga season, and made 30 outings while on loan with Real Betis last term.

The 22-year-old has also made two senior appearances for Morocco, scoring one goal for his nation in the process.

Meanwhile, Sheffield United have already conceded 41 goals in 28 Championship fixtures this term, and could do with a strong defender to boost their play-off credentials.

The Blades boast dangerous attacking options such as the aforementioned Bamford, as well as the likes of Danny Ings and Tyrese Campbell.

Those strikers are well-supported by former Coventry City duo O'Hare and Hamer, whose play-making efforts can cause problems for any Championship side.

However, Wilder's defenders, such as veteran Ben Mee and ex-Luton Town man Mark McGuinness, have regularly failed to help their side maintain clean sheets.

Therefore, potentially missing out on Riad's services, thanks to his exploits against Chelsea, coupled with the latest developments in the Eagles academy, would be a blow for Sheffield United.

The South Yorkshire club's recent Championship defeats against Southampton and Charlton, coupled with their FA Cup defeat to Mansfield Town, suggest that they could struggle in their upcoming encounters with play-off hopefuls Millwall and automatic promotion candidates Middlesbrough.