Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder drops QPR loan recall hint as Norrington-Davies impresses

Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder has responded to speculation that the Blades could recall full-back Rhys Norrington-Davies from his loan spell at QPR after an impressive start to the campaign.

The R’s were in desperate need of a right-back this summer with Kenneth Paal having left Loftus Road as a free agent. The 28-year-old made 130 appearances for the club over three years and is now playing his football at Turkish outfit Antalyaspor.

Harrison Ashby had also returned to Newcastle United following his season long loan with Morgan Fox also leaving the club as a free agent and Ziyad Larkeche sidelined for months with an ACL injury. The promising Esquerdinha is fit and available but is just 19 years old.

Rhys Norrington-Davies thriving at QPR

QPR lacked an experienced option in the position but Julien Stephan solved that with Norrington-Davies coming in towards the end of August. The defender went straight into the starting XI against Charlton Athletic at Loftus Road and started the next four of that unbeaten run.

Norrington-Davies missed out against Bristol City due to a knock but returned against Millwall last weekend. So far this season, the player has been one of QPR’s most reliable in what has all the makings of a thoroughly successful loan.

With parent club Sheffield United sitting 23rd in the Championship after eight defeats in their opening 10, there had been some speculation that the club could look to bring back an in-form Norrington-Davies to add stability at Bramall Lane.

Chris Wilder drops Sheffield United loan recall hint

Wilder was asked about that possibility following the 1-0 win over Watford last weekend and suggested that, while the club would continue to monitor the option, it wasn’t immediately on the cards.

As quoted by The Star, Wilder said: “He needs to play. I think everybody knew that for quite a while. He’s had some unfortunate injuries over the past two and a half years, and everybody wants to play. It’s a good club that he’s joined. Like every other player that’s out on loan, we have a loans manager that goes and watches them. So whether it’s Billy Blacker up in Scotland or Rhys in London, we have reports and we watch them regularly and see how they’re going on.

“We have to look after number one really, first and foremost. So we’ll see how that goes over the next eight, nine, ten weeks and see how that goes. But he’s not doing himself any harm at all, playing well at a good club that’s going well in the Championship.”

In other news, QPR handed 'farcical' injury blow ahead of Swansea City and Derby County.