In a season of ups and downs for Sheffield Wednesday, many fans and pundits would point to the performances of Shea Charles as a highlight, but another player has apparently shined just as brightly.
Sheffield Wednesday have been rather inconsistent this season, but Danny Rohl will no doubt be happy with the impact Shea Charles has made since arriving from Southampton on loan.
The young midfielder has been the best Sheffield Wednesday signing of the season, but while Charles steals the headlines, a number of other players have been quietly doing great work, too.
So much so, in fact, that one defender has earned plaudits from two Championship experts for his displays in 2024.
Pundit praises Akin Famewo for early-season displays
Discussing which player they would sign from each Championship club on the Championship Check-In podcast, Benjamin Bloom and Sam Parkin highlighted a number of Owls players that they’d be interested in, but Akin Famewo stood out for Parkin in particular.
He said: “I’d go for Akin Famewo, the centre-half. I think he has been really good this season, again a lot of years ahead of him, good competitor, good on the ball. Unfortunately injured now, but he’s been eye-catching defensively.
“I think Famewo is probably the one who could kick on again given how well he was playing at the start of the season.”
There was also very obvious praise for Shea Charles, as well as Anthony Musaba and Djeidi Gassama, while Josh Windass is highlighted as someone who can offer a “good return in terms of goals and assists.”
- READ MORE: History proves why Sheffield Wednesday will really struggle to keep Shea Charles permanently
Sheffield Wednesday have missed Akin Famewo
Famewo missed the start of the season with an injury, but after coming into the lineup for the game against QPR in September, the centre-half played the full 90 minutes of each of the next six matches for Rohl’s side.
With his great ball-playing ability, immense strength, and impressive reading of the game, Famewo became an integral part of the Wednesday backline, but he picked up a long-term injury in the win over Portsmouth.
| Statistic | Akin Famewo 2024/25 |
|---|---|
| Appearances | 10 |
| Minutes played | 750 |
| Pass completion | 76% |
| Tackles won per 90 | 1.2 |
| Blocks per 90 | 0.85 |
| Clearances per 90 | 3.66 |
Akin Famewo is expected to be out long-term now, potentially right through to February or March. It has been a real loss for the Owls, who have had to draft in Max Lowe as part of their centre-back trio now.
His return, whenever that may be, will be a huge boost for Rohl, and could well make the difference between Sheffield Wednesday being caught up in a relegation battle or pushing on to midtable and beyond.