Sheffield United have confirmed Wolverhampton Wanderers defender Ethan Ebanks-Landell is staying at Bramall Lane for the remainder of the season, but the news comes with the disappointing announcement that the defender has signed a new contract at Wolves.
The fan-favourite looked to be going back to the West Midlands to fix his parent’s club struggling defence and trained with Paul Lambert’s squad over the Christmas period, much to the distress of Blades fans. However, Lambert changed his mind and decided he had enough centre-backs at the club already.
Ebanks-Landell joined Sheffield United on a season-long loan and quickly established himself as a key player. The defender has accumulated 22 appearances for the club and bagged five goals, losing just one game under Chris Wilder. The news of his loan remaining until the end of the season should have sparked excitement and relief for the Blades fans, but the news announcement that Ebanks-Landell has signed a three-and-a-half year contract with his parent club has turned the loan confirmation into a bitter-sweet moment for United fans.
Many showed their delight on Twitter at keeping the centre-back until the end of the season:
— chris (@CTollerfield) January 9, 2017
transfer window over😀
— Kai Butler (@butlerkai11) January 9, 2017
— Paddys (@PaddysMad) January 9, 2017
HALLELUJAH. The best signing we will make all January. Congrats on the new contract also. @EbanksLandell #sufc #twitterblades 🔴⚪⚔️ pic.twitter.com/gQE6Iq7WQI
— samjohnson77 (@samjohnson77) January 9, 2017
#sufc Don't care what anybody says, keeping EEL for the remainder of the season is brilliant. With his performances for us, we are lucky. 😁
— ⚔⚪🔴 Lost In Translation (@JustinJugger) January 9, 2017
Meanwhile, many Blades fans showed their sadness:
@SUFC_tweets @EbanksLandell 😞
— James⚔️ (@Sufc_Jam3s) January 9, 2017
https://twitter.com/cjbenton5/status/818503565564084224
Don't know whether to laugh or cry @EbanksLandell 😂😭 #twitterblades
— Louis Varley (@SufcLouis) January 9, 2017
Seeing EEL Stay on loan rest of season = 😀.
Seeing EEL committing to wolves = 😔. #twitterblades— Tom Wood (@ThomasWood90) January 9, 2017
Regardless of where Ebanks-Landell is in the summer, the defender will be a huge asset for the league-leaders in the crucial second half of the season. Many Blades took a positive approach to the loanee committing his future to Wolves:
Still reckon we'd be able to get EEL permanently. Wolves will get more money in fees by extending his contract. Smart business, tbf. #sufc
— Kane (@kane_tingle10) January 9, 2017
great news but O Connell is our best centre half so I'd be making sure he is well looked after
— Gary (@juancl78) January 9, 2017
https://twitter.com/luca1889/status/818507900419276801
Sheffield United and Ethan Ebank-Landell’s next fixture is an away trip to 14th placed Walsall.