Sheffield United manager Slavisa Jokanovic has confirmed that left-back Enda Stevens will be missing for a prolonged spell through injury.
The Lowdown: Stevens a key man for Blades
Stevens has been an excellent performer for the Blades, making 165 appearances to date and proving to be a hugely consistent player.
He was even hailed as arguably the Republic of Ireland’s best player at one point last year, with former defender Danny Higginbotham claiming as much.
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The Latest: Left-back set for spell out injured
Unfortunately, Stevens missed last weekend’s Championship opener against Birmingham and Jokanovic has now delivered a worrying update on the 31-year-old.
Before Saturday’s clash with Swansea City, the Blades boss has confirmed that the Irishman may not return until after next month’s international break because of an ongoing knee issue, revealing they may even opt for surgery depending on scan results.
“Enda will be still a few weeks out. We are thinking too about some surgery at the moment we’re still waiting for his scan to come back.”
The Verdict: Big blow for United
Stevens is such an influential player for United, so this acts as a massive early setback in their quest to return to the Premier League.
Not only does the former Portsmouth man contribute good work defensive work – he averaged two tackles per game in the league last season – but he has also chipped in with seven goals and 16 assists as a Blade.
The sooner Stevens is back the better, but for now, Ben Osborn will need to perform well and fill the void left by his Blades teammate.
In other news, talks regarding one Sheffield United piece of transfer business have reportedly broken down. Read more here.
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