Carlton Palmer has urged Sheffield Wednesday to get rid of Jeff Hendrick – and their other four loan signings.
Speaking to Football League World, the pundit claimed the summer arrival hadn’t made any ‘significant impact’ this season.
David Downes had a rather hot and cold four-year stint as Sheffield Wednesday‘s Head of Recruitment before he joined Blackpool in June, though the Owls’ transfer window didn’t seem to be anymore successful without him.
While the club brought in some exciting younger players such as Djeidi Gassama, Di’Shon Bernard and Anthony Musaba, their hunt in the loan market wasn’t quite as positive.
Sheffield Wednesday welcomed John Buckley, Jeff Hendrick, Ashley Fletcher, Momo Diaby and Devis Vasquez on loan – with the five stars playing a combined total of 23 starts between them.
Vasquez has the most starts to his name (9), but he has found himself benched since the defeat to West Brom in October.
Buckley has been in and out of the team but has been unable to improve the Owls’ midfield, while Hendrick’s only real contribution was his equaliser against Leicester CIty.
Diaby has played 65 minutes all season, while Fletcher has been as disappointing as expected.
Carlton Palmer has now claimed that Danny Rohl should send all five of them packing next month. He said: “Sheffield Wednesday’s summer transfers have not had any significant impact on the season so far.
“Danny Rohl faces a crucial January transfer window. They took five players on loan, and you only have five spots in the matchday squad for loans in the EFL.
“Jeff Hendrick, the midfielder who came from Newcastle, has failed to make any impact at all, and the Owls should be looking to explore terminating his loan.
“Another player who came in on loan, John Buckley from Blackburn, with high expectation, has not had any impact.
“I think Blackburn will recall him anyhow, which does the Owls a favour as the whole point of him coming out on loan was to get game time and he is not playing.
“In all fairness, Momo Diaby is the only loanee that impressed me, but he has still only played 65 minutes.
“I would terminate all the loans and recruit better so that Danny has a fresh clean sheet of paper to bring in the players that he believes can help him to stay in the league.”
Who should stay and who should go?
Carlton Palmer is probably correct and Sheffield Wednesday should send at least a few of their loanees back to their parent clubs.
Ashley Fletcher has been a complete waste of time, while the Yorkshire outfit may not have much option but to part ways with John Buckley.
If Danny Rohl is going to guide the team to safety then he is going to need his own players, and the lack of cash may mean the loan market is the best option for the German.