Sheffield United close to transfer breakthrough as boss answers Benie Traore question

The Blades made their first signing since promotion earlier in the week, capturing Anis Slimane in a cut-price deal from Brondby, and have refocused their attention on other targets, with Hacken striker Benie Traore and Yasser Larouci, a left-back from French second-tier side Troyes, other players of interest.

Slimane's international clearance did not arrive in time for him to make his debut in yesterday's opening pre-season friendly away at Chesterfield, which Heckingbottom's side won 2-0, but Unitedites may get their first glimpse of the Tunisian during Wednesday night's clash with Estoril in Portugal.

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Heckingbottom, who confirmed Iliman Ndiaye would also be on the plane amid ramped-up speculation about a potential move to Marseille, hopes to add more players to his squad whilst away. Traore is a confirmed target, having caught the eye with Hacken, and recently appeared to wave goodbye to the club's supporters ahead of the proposed move to South Yorkshire. He was also omitted from the Hacken squad that faced IF BP over the weekend, with Heckingbottom admitting: We want to take at least one more with us to Portugal.

"So we'll have another one done to go to Portugal, and we go [on Sunday]. It'll be great if we can get some more done, either to join us or for when we come back. The better we do, the more we can add, the better chance we have."

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Traore, a converted winger from the Ivory Coast, has 12 goals in 14 games for Hacken this season but Heckingbottom refused to confirm whether or not a deal was close. "He's not our player," he said after the Chesterfield friendly.

"I'm not going to speak about anyone until they're one of our players. He's someone I know, I've seen him about. If you're anyone at a football club like us you're going to have cast your eye over him. We're aware of him and we know who he is."