Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder has confirmed that he has held talks with Tottenham about the possibility of Cameron Carter-Vickers transferring back to his parent club in January.
Wilder made the admission in an interview with BBC Radio Sheffield after Mauricio Pochettino confirmed earlier this week that Spurs may terminate Carter-Vickers’ season-long loan to United next month.
This comes after Toby Alderweireld suffered a fresh setback that will return him out until February.
Wilder confirmed discussions have taken place with Spurs about Carter-Vickers but insisted that he is confident it will not happen and the player will remain at the Championship promotion challengers until the end of the season.
“It is their right, because that’s their football club and they have to do best by their football club,” said Wilder when discussing the Spurs loanee to BBC Radio Sheffield.
“I don’t believe they will recall him. We have had a conversation with Tottenham. The question got asked to their manager ‘if they had a big injury crisis would you recall him’. Of course you would.”
One-time USA international Carter-Vickers has been a key player in United’s bid to secure promotion from the Championship.
The defender has made 13 appearances in the Championship and even managed to score his first ever senior goal on his Blades debut in September.
OPINION
Spurs are not short of quality centre-backs, with Davinson Sanchez, Jan Vertonghen and Mr Versatile Eric Dier all highly competent in that position, if not at the level of the exemplary Alderweireld. The Belgian’s extended absence is a shattering blow but Pochettino should hold fire until late January on whether to recall Carter-Vickers. If Alderweireld suffers another setback, or Spurs were to lose another senior central defender, then the manager will have little choice but to recall the strapping American. But if the Belgium international is fit to return and Sanchez, Vertonghen and Dier can steer clear of injury, then Carter-Vickers is better off being in the Sheffield United first team. Tottenham are right to keep their options open, and to make the second-tier outfit aware of the possibility of a recall, but, all being well, it is a remote possibility at this stage.