Sheffield United transfer state of play: Sander Berge, John Egan Leeds United links, Derby County, Ipswich Town chase striker and incomings chance

United completed their summer business earlier in the window and that approach has borne fruit, with Paul Heckingbottom's men climbing to the top of the Championship table after strengthening their squad over the summer.

In an ideal world the manager would like to recruit some midfield cover, after John Fleck's broken leg, while some of his teammates may still depart Bramall Lane ahead of tonight's 11pm deadline.

Let's have a look at the state of play at United going into deadline day...

Sander Berge

The big Norwegian is the big story on deadline day from a United perspective, with rampant speculation that he will depart before 11pm.

Club Brugge have been keen all summer while Liverpool have been mentioned again of late, amid their injury crisis in midfield.

Either club would at least have to match the £22m United paid for Berge to tempt the Blades hierarchy into doing a deal, with Brugge's offers not reaching that mark just yet.

Brugge are refusing to go away but no bids are currently live, and United hope that remains the case up to 11pm.

Boss Heckingbottom says it would be “madness” to sell Berge so late, but of course there remains the possibility that such a decision may be taken out of United’s hands ...

What if Sander Berge does leave Sheffield United?

There remains the fact that a £35m bid will trigger Berge's signature automatically courtesy of a release clause in his contract, and seeing that exploited on deadline day would arguably be a worst-case scenario for United - as they lose their key man and then see the price of any replacement inflated hugely by clubs who know they are desperate and swimming in cash.

United, despite Heckingbottom's insistence otherwise, are thought to have drawn up a list of targets if Berge does leave but that was seen more as a prudent contingency plan, rather than a sign they expect him to depart.

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Berge has been praised for the professionalism he has shown throughout a summer which has seen him linked with a move away from United, with his manager saying: “Sander, the way he’s handled himself, it’s a credit to him really.

“When you are a player and you find yourself in a position like this, it’s the centre of your world and it can be a distraction. You are dealing with it, thinking about it, all the time. It’s not the same for everyone else, because they have other things to consider as well.

“It’s so important, if that happens, to remain focused and concentrated on your profession. Because, if you don’t, the only person who ends up suffering is the player themselves.”

John Egan to Leeds United?

Another left-field rumour that cropped up late in the window was John Egan to United's local rivals, Leeds.

Egan has been a figure of consistency at centre-half for some time now at Bramall Lane and has previously been linked with moves away, to clubs such as West Ham.

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But sources close to Elland Road suggest that Leeds are focusing their search for a striker on deadline day, with the Whites pretty well stocked at centre-half. They also allowed Charlie Cresswell to join Millwall on loan, indicating they aren't particularly worried about their depth at the back.

Egan is one of a number of Blades players whose contract is running down, however, and United will have to invite him to the negotiating table soon.

Any incomings?

Boss Heckingbottom said he would ask the question, but with United's budget already used up it was unlikely he would receive the answer he was looking for.

The midfield issue has been exacerbated by the injury to Fleck, with Ben Osborn sidelined already, and teenager Oli Arblaster was the only dedicated midfielder on the bench in midweek as United hammered Reading 4-0.

But with retaining Berge’s services his priority during the closing stages of the window, the 44-year-old acknowledged he would be “delighted” with the options at his disposal if the market closed early.

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“A replacement for Flecky would be ideal. The next couple of days will tell you [if it’s going to happen],” Heckingbottom said after the Reading game.

“We’ve got too many injuries at the moment and you’re always going to ask, aren’t you. The schedule is so unrelenting and I’d love to be able to change it around more with the midfielders the same way we have been doing in attack.

“That’s not just to win games but also to protect the players. That’s why, for me, it’s something worth looking into but we’ll see.”

Any more business?

With Iliman Ndiaye and Anel Ahmedhodzic impressing in the opening weeks of this season, Heckingbottom must be tempted to turn off his phone until 11.01pm tonight.

But there are other possible outgoings that could work in United's favour, with youngsters Will Osula and Kyron Gordon needing first-team football to further their careers.

Osula is interesting Derby County and Ipswich Town as well as long-time suitors Burton Albion, while Gordon could sign for Tranmere Rovers ahead of the deadline.

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Anything else to keep an eye on?

United can possibly continue their business outside of the window, if Wes Foderingham picks up an injury or is unavailable.

With Adam Davies sidelined, United could enter the emergency loan market in that case because Jordan Amissah has played only one senior game in his career.