Fleetwood defy Blades to keep hotshot Cole

The Gazette understands that Sheffield United continued their concerted efforts to sign the 22-year-old right up to last night’s 11pm cut-off.

The Championship club is believed to have had multiple bids rejected, meaning the hitman who has netted four goals in his last three appearances remains at Highbury.

The only transfer business concluded by Town yesterday was midfielder Nick Haughton’s loan move to Vanarama National North club Chorley for the rest of the season.

The Gazette believes Fleetwood received bids for no players other than Cole, though goalkeeper Alex Cairns was the subject of enquiries from a Premier League club.

It was no surprise that Town made no signings yesterday as Rosler has repeatedly stated he is satisfied with his squad and would only recruit further if players left.

Rosler revealed on Tuesday that a Championship club had bid for Cole, who was as a result withdrawn from the squad for that night’s Checkatrade Trophy win over Leicester U21s. The head coach said last weekend: “I really hope we still have him here after August 31.”

Haughton hs not played for Town since the 2015-16 season and had two loan spells with Salford City last term.

Signed in 2014, the 22-year-old was tipped as a future Highbury star and made the first of 40 League One appearances for the club in October that year. He scored his only Town goal in the famous 2-1 win at Sheffield United in March 2015.

Haughton failed to find favour under Rosler and was not given a senior squad number for this season.