New Sheffield United reveal underlines impact of Harry Souttar’s Leicester City return | OneFootball

Sheffield United's record with and without Harry Souttar makes interesting reading.

Sheffield United fell to a 3-0 defeat against Hull City in the Championship last night, with Chris Wilder's side convincingly beaten amid their January recruitment drive.

Tom Cannon and Ben Brereton Diaz were both handed starts for the Blades last night, having arrived on high-profile January deals earlier in the window.

Wilder's focus has been on attacking recruits, yet a central midfielder in Hamza Choudhury is set to arrive, whilst there's ambition to bolster the defence in the full-back position and at centre-back.

The reason for the latter addition is Harry Souttar's season-ending injury. The Australian ruptured his Achilles in the Boxing Day clash with Burnley at Bramall Lane and has returned to parent-club, Leicester City.

Souttar's impact on Sheffield United

The heavy defeat to Hull sparked debate about the impact Souttar was having on Wilder's defence.

One fan on X - @ManekiBlades - pointed out that in the games Souttar had played this season, Sheffield United had conceded only 10 times in 21 games. In the games the 26-year-old's been missing (seven), they've shipped another 10.

Souttar's partnership with Anel Ahmedhodzic was amongst the strongest in the Championship. Jack Robinson has stepped into the starting line-up since then, playing the last 13 league fixtures and completing 90 minutes in each - the captain partnered Souttar in Ahmedhodzic's absence in the games leading up to his injury against Burnley.

Sheffield United defensive targets

Now Wilder has Cannon and Brereton Diaz through the door, with Choudhury to follow, attention will switch onto replacing Souttar at centre-back and finding Ahmedhodzic that rock-solid partner for the remainder of the season.

Football League World have reported in the last week that there's interest at Bramall Lane in signing Jimmy Dunne of QPR, with the centre-back out of contract at Loftus Road next summer.

Further reports from the Sheffield Star have linked Michael Keane of Everton, whilst Jonjoe Kenny is a right-back linked with the club - although he's not a direct Souttar replacement, he could free up Alfie Gilchrist to move centrally from right-back.

What's certain, though, is that Wilder will be backed with more signings. Two high-profile forwards are through the door, and the midfield shortage is to be addressed.