Beattie looks set to leave Bramall Lane if the Blades fail in their bid for promotion and Stoke see the partnership as one to keep them in the Premiership.
The Potters put the promotion party on hold for yet another week after a good win at Layer Road was mixed with the disappointment of an 85th minute winner for Hull that meant the Championship is going all the way to the wire and next Sunday's sell-out against Leicester.
Even though Layer Road was full at just over 6,000 as the U's celebrated their final game at the non-league size ground there were 10,000 Potters' fans at the Brit to watch the match beamed back live.