Lewis O'Brien set for return to England, with Sheffield United known admirers

The Nottingham Forest player's loan at Rooney's DC United expires this weekend, and the MLS club have been unable to extend it.

That will be of great interest to the Blades, who were believed to be interested in signing O'Brien were Sander Berge sold late in the last transfer window. With a transfer embargo in place, a sale that would allow the then-Championship club to clear the debts behind it was the only way they could bring O'Brien back to Yorkshire and to manager Paul Heckingbottom's relief, that did not happen.

But with the embargo now lifted, Heckingbottom needs to strengthen his squad ahead of a return to the Premier League.

O'Brien joined DC on loan partly because with the English transfer window closed and the player left out of Forest's 25-man Premier League squad, it was one of his few realistic routes to senior football. He has impressed in the capital, but will not be staying.

The loan had an option to buy, but not one they can afford.

“It’s probably looking more likely Lewis will be going back to England,” said Rooney. “We haven’t managed to get to an agreement with Nottingham Forest.

“We knew what it was. He’s been fantastic for us since he’s come in — great character.”

Saturday's game against David Beckham's Inter Miami is expected to be O'Brien's last.

O'Brien came through the Terriers' academy and his senior career took off there after a season-long loan at Bradford in 2018-19. A left-footed central midfielder capable of playing at left-back, in the hole or on the wing, he captained the side at times during his final season, which saw Huddersfield finish third in the Championship, ahead of Sheffield United.

It earnt him a move to the Premier League with Forest last summer, but he was a victim of their policy of buying a ludicrouly large number of players, starting all five of their August league games, then only one more for the rest of the campaign.

The Blades need to strengthen in midfield after Tommy Doyle and the more attacking James McAtee's loans at Manchester City came to an end. Heckingbottom would like both back but Premier League clubs can only loan one player at a time from other clubs in the division and his transfer budget is believed to be just £20m.

It cost Forest a combined £10m to take O'Brien and Harry Toffolo to the City Ground.