The Sheffield Wednesday manager Garry Monk refused to comment when asked about reports linking the Owls with a loan for the Crystal Palace striker Connor Wickham.
According to The Sun on Sunday, Wednesday have offered to pay £12,000 a week towards Wickham’s wages, though that is some way short of the figure for which Crystal Palace are asking.
But while Monk admitted that the need for new recruits is ‘clear’ at Hillsborough, where the Owls have lost three straight Championship matches culminating in Saturday’s 5-0 defeat against Blackburn Rovers, he avoided discussing specific targets.
“As I said at the very start, it’s a very difficult market we’re in, that loans market. It’s competitive,” the 40-year-old told the official Sheffield Wednesday Facebook page in response to being questioned on his side’s transfer window progress.
“It’s not just about wanting a player and agreeing things from your side. It has to be agreed from the other side. There’s competition. There’s decisions that need to be made, not just from us. From players that might be involved, from clubs that might be involved.
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“So it’s not just as simple as saying you want that player and we’re prepared to give this. That’s why it takes that time.
“We have certain players that are targets we’ve had to move on from because you can’t (get them done). Some go further down the line and it gets turned around and all those things. Because of all those variables that are involved in it.
“We know the need for it, it’s clear. I’m very hopeful of it and all I can say is the club are working as hard as we can to make sure we can get one or two across the line.”
Monk also confirmed that he ‘would like’ to have reinforcements in place before Wednesday’s trip to Wigan Athletic in six days’ time.
The Owls travel to Queens Park Rangers in the FA Cup before then – a competition for which Wickham is cup-tied anyway, having appeared in it once already for Crystal Palace this season.
Wickham in action for Palace this month. (Photo by James Williamson – AMA/Getty Images)
Wickham shone during two previous spells at Hillsborough and would, on paper at least, be a useful alternative to the injured Steven Fletcher, in terms of his ability to play as either a lone centre-forward or alongside a partner.
The 26-year-old has appeared on a further seven occasions for Crystal Palace throughout the 2019/20 campaign, with Tuesday’s 2-0 defeat against Southampton being the latest.
