Jordan Ayew Set to Make Sheffield United Debut Against Wolves

Jordan Ayew is in line to pull on a Sheffield United shirt for the first time on Sunday, with Chris Wilder confirming the new signing will feature against Wolverhampton Wanderers (12:00 BST).

The Ghana forward arrived as a free agent on Tuesday and went straight into the matchday squad that evening, taking a place on the bench against Blackburn Rovers. He stayed there, unused, but that was always likely to be a brief wait.

"One of the attractions of signing Jordan, not just the level of his experience, his availability record is just incredible," Wilder said. "We are delighted physically where he's at and he will definitely be involved."

For a squad stretched thin, Ayew’s durability is gold dust. Wilder’s options are frayed, his team patched together, yet he now has a seasoned Premier League campaigner to call on as United chase vital points.

The strain showed in midweek. Midfielder Hamza Choudhury lasted 58 minutes against Rovers before making way, a change Wilder later put down to fatigue rather than fresh injury trouble. Even so, there is little margin for caution.

With bodies already missing, the Bangladesh international is still expected to have a role to play against Wolves. Rest would be preferable. Reality says otherwise.

"There's a few in an ideal world would be getting rested and maybe not starting, but that's the situation at the moment," Wilder admitted.

So Ayew steps into a dressing room running on fumes, asked to bring energy, know-how and that famed reliability. On Sunday, Sheffield United find out how quickly he can change their rhythm.