Paul Heckingbottom explains Ismaila Coulibaly decision and his Sheffield United future

Paul Heckingbottom says Sheffield United will need to make a decision shortly on Ismaila Coulibaly's future. The midfielder teamed up with the club for the first time last week at their Randox Health Academy training base.

He has now returned to sister club Beerschot, which forms part of the United World stable of clubs owned by Prince Abdullah, where he will spend the rest of the season. The 21-year-old signed for United in 2020 from Norwegian side Sarpsborg 08 and was immediately sent out on loan to Belgium on a three-year deal.

Due to a change in the qualifying criteria to play in this country as a result of Brexit, the Malian midfielder qualified for a visa a lot sooner than first thought, making him eligible to now play for United. However, he will lose that should he remain at the Olympisch Stadion for a third season.

Heckingbottom says that is something that could happen if they don't act quickly enough and make a decision on what next for the player.

"He's Sheffield United's player and then went out on loan to Beerschot for such a long time. I wanted to have a look at him and for him to come and experience us and what we are all about," he told Yorkshire Live.

"He's our player, we need to know what's the best decision for him for next season. I have not made that yet. He's a good lad who was really keen to be here.

"I wanted him to get a feel for what we are and what we are about. He's seen that we work hard and he needs to understand that if he wants to come and get in our team he's going to have to work harder than the rest.

"Their season is over in a couple of weeks anyway so we may get an opportunity to get him over again and have some more conversations with him. It was a three-year loan to Beerschot, so