Sheffield United: Chris Wilder reacts to Jesurun Rak-Sakyi, Crystal Palace recall talk | OneFootball

Wilder says Jesurun Rak-Sakyi will stay at the club for the whole season amid recall rumours

Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder is confident that Crystal Palace loanee Jesurun Rak-Sakyi will remain at Bramall Lane for the duration of the season, amid rumours that the Eagles are considering recalling him to their squad in the January transfer window.

The Blades are currently sitting in fourth place in the Championship with 22 points won from their opening 12 league games, and tricky winger Rak-Sakyi has been key to their success so far.

Rak-Sakyi joined the club on loan from Palace in the summer, and his good form has led Football Insider to claim that his parent side could possibly exercise their recall option in the new year, according to their source, former Manchester United scout Mick Brown.

The 22-year-old has enjoyed some bright moments during his time under Wilder up to now, with his clear threat in the final third earning him seven league starts to date, and the Blades' manager has moved to rebuke those claims, as he is sure that Rak-Sakyi will remain at the club until next May.

Chris Wilder definitive over Jesurun Rak-Sakyi's future at Sheffield United

Rak-Sakyi had a slow start to life at Bramall Lane as he adjusted to his new surroundings, but has burst into life in recent weeks and looks set to be a starter for the foreseeable future as they aim to stay in the hunt for automatic promotion.

Boss Wilder has been busy preparing his side for a trip to fellow top-six outfit Blackburn Rovers tomorrow, in a 12:30 kick-off at Ewood Park, and was asked whether there was any truth in Palace being set to recall Rak-Sakyi in his pre-match press conference this morning.

"No, he's here for the season," Wilder said, via The Star.

“I'm 100 per cent confident on that.”

You could not get a much more definitive answer from the one man who is certainly qualified to speak on the future of his own players, and Wilder's comments will be music to the ears of Blades fans that know just how important the 22-year-old is set to be to their promotion aims this term.

United's depth means they cannot afford to lose Rak-Sakyi in January

Wilder was able to add numerous new players to his squad in the summer, such as Rak-Sakyi, but the uncertainty surrounding the club’s owners certainly proved a stumbling block in their ability to build a top Championship side, so it would, therefore, not be a surprise to see them aim to improve on their squad in the January window.

With that said, losing a player of Rak-Sakyi's quality would be a huge detriment to their chances of a top-two finish next May, as they would undoubtedly have to delve into the transfer market once again to find a replacement.

The 22-year-old has started eight of the club's last 10 games in all competitions, and the two in which he was not given a starting berth saw Andre Brooks start on the right against Swansea City, and then Jamie Shackleton at right wing-back at Leeds last month.

Neither of those players are going to give United more than Rak-Sakyi, especially in attack, and in Brooks' case, are arguably even less experienced at senior level than the Palace loanee.

Other possible right-wing stand-ins at the club include Tyrese Campbell or Femi Siriki, but they are clearly set to be played in their respective preferred positions by Wilder going forward, and rightly so.

It is clear that the Blades boss is standing firm in his stance over Rak-Sakyi's future at Bramall Lane, and while it is not public knowledge if Palace do hold a recall option, it remains to be seen whether he will stay at the club for the duration of the campaign, but it certainly seems likely right now.