Sheffield Wednesday are facing another crucial transfer window in January, as Danny Rohl looks to save the Owls’ season.
Sheffield Wednesday suffered yet another defeat on Saturday when they lost 4-0 at home to Millwall in the Championship; their 12th of the season already.
The Owls remain rooted to the foot of the Championship table after the opening 16 games of the season with just six points and seven goals to their name.
January then will be pivotal in determining Wednesday’s fate this season. The club is in definite need of quality but given the off-field issues at Hillsborough, it may be a case of offloading before they can bring anyone in.
With that in mind, here’s three players that the Owls could axe in the winter transfer window…
Ashley Fletcher
The man on loan from Watford has certainly struggled.
He reunited with former Hornets boss Xisco Munoz in the summer but in 12 Championship appearances for Wednesday, he’s failed to record a single goal contribution.
With Rohl now at the helm, Wednesday may become a more attractive loan destination for Premier League clubs to send their youngsters, and cutting short Fletcher’s loan would open up a loan space for someone more effective to come in.
As per Salary Sport, the 28-year-old is earning £18,000-per-week, though how much of that is being paid by Wednesday remains to be seen.
Mallik Wilks
Wilks’ return from injury was quite anticipated by fans. He looked set to add some much-needed energy and dynamism to the front line, but after a string of poor substitute performances, he’s not been included in a match day squad since.
He looks like surplus to requirements at Hillsborough right now and given how long Wednesday pursued him for, he could be one of the higher earners at the club and one of the many facing the axe in January.
Ciaran Brennan
Many have wanted to see the Wednesday youngster kick on. But he remains a periphery player at the club and reports have already suggested that he’ll be moved on in January.
Given his lack of experience, his injury record, and the fact that he’s out of contract next summer, Brennan might well have to leave on a free transfer. But nonetheless, it takes a bit of strain off the wage bill and it opens up a space in the first-team; maybe even for a youth player to step up into Rohl’s side.
Tyreeq Bakinson
Bakinson, like Wilks, doesn’t seem to be favoured by Rohl.
He’s not been involved in any of the last six match day squads after he made a rare start vs West Brom at the start of October, and now it seems like he faces a contested future at Wednesday.
Rohl has a lot of options in the middle of midfield and so it’s forced Bakinson down the pecking order, and depending on what happens to the likes of Jeff Hendrick and John Buckley in January, Bakinson could be moved on.