Sheffield United boss confronts Oli McBurnie Leeds United rumour before Nottingham Forest reunion

Paul Heckingbottom hopes Sheffield United will soon open contract talks with striker Oli McBurnie after social media speculation linking the Leeds-born striker with his boyhood club. The 27-year-old, who is closing on an injury return after a foot issue, is out of contract at Bramall Lane next summer.

Heckingbottom hopes McBurnie will be fit enough to join the travelling party to Nottingham Forest on Friday night, in what will be a first return to the City Ground since the infamous play-off semi-final clash last year that saw United defeated on penalties, skipper Billy Sharp headbutted by a Forest fan and the Scottish international later charged with assault by beating after an alleged post-match altercation with a Forest supporter.

United boss responds to Archer interest in transfer admission

McBurnie was later cleared of all wrongdoing in court and bounced back last season to score 15 goals and help fire the Blades into the Premier League, seeing his one-year contract extension activated earlier this summer. But, as things stand, he could walk away from Bramall Lane for free next summer and even agree a pre-contract move abroad as soon as January.

Asked ahead of the Forest trip whether there was a chance of new contract talks with McBurnie, Heckingbottom replied: “I hope so, yes.” The manager - a former Leeds boss - confirmed that there has been no contact with Leeds over McBurnie and insisted that the striker “is staying” at Bramall Lane this summer.

Davies excited by United “project” as ex-Everton man signs in at Lane

If the striker does return to fitness in time to feature against Forest on Friday, it would give United a significant boost and Heckingbottom is confident that the events that marred McBurnie’s last appearance at the City Ground would not affect him. “Not at all, no,” he insisted. “That is for you guys [in the media] to write about.

“When it is your job and everything ... people forget it’s a job. We’re performing on the pitch doing our job, we’re disciplined by the referee, we’re bound by our rules. Everything that happened there was for the police to deal with. We’re just preparing to play football.

“The atmosphere will be great because it is their first home game and because we have had some good battles on the pitch, but that’s it. Everything off the pitch shouldn’t be mentioned.”

McBurnie showed comfortably his best form in a United shirt last season, forming a deadly partnership with now-departed Iliman Ndiaye, and is desperate for another crack at the Premier League after admitting he and a number of his United teammates have “unfinished business” in the division after their relegation last time out, against the backdrop of Covid-19 and empty stadia.

“Everyone knows with me and Oli it’s a bit of tough love,” Heckingbottom added. “I’ve got loads of time for him but I also know that, certainly in the last few years certainly at Sheffield United, people haven’t seen him at his best of what I know he can do, and also what Oli knows he can do.

“He’ll be pushed towards that and if we fall a little bit short, it’s better than just accepting where we are right now, isn’t it? That’s the approach – he will be pushed and pushed and pushed.

“I enjoy working on the training pitch but you need the buy-in from the player so it’s down to them. However you do it – how personable you are, find something in their game – you need to get the buy-in and be able to push it. You also need to be ruthless and relentless enough to not take no for an answer. If someone does fail here, it won’t be because of us.”