Sheffield Wednesday have a busy summer transfer window laying ahead.
Sheffield Wednesday, regardless of whether they’re playing in the Championship or in League One next season, have another busy summer ahead.
Plenty of rebuilding will be required by Danny Rohl and Head of Recruitment Kevin Beadell; the Owls have several players out of contract and several players set to see loan deals expire.
And Rohl is keen to bring Ian Poveda to Sheffield Wednesday on a permanent basis this summer, and keen to secure new deals for Barry Bannan, Josh Windass, and Di’Shon Bernard.
But much more is needed.
Sheffield Wednesday can find free agent gems this summer
With Sheffield Wednesday still in a rather perilous financial situation, the club will no doubt scour the free agent market once again this summer.
And should Rohl remain in charge then the Owls may have a much bigger pull in the transfer market.
One potential coup for Sheffield Wednesday, albeit a very ambitious one, would be a free move for Southampton midfielder Stuart Armstrong.
Rohl worked with the 31-year-old during his time at Southampton; described as a ‘smooth footballer’ by current Saints boss Russell Martin, Armstrong has played a starring role for the Saints this season, featuring in all 34 of Southampton’s Championship games, scoring three and assisting six.
Armstrong is an attacking midfielder by trade but has featured on the left side of a midfield three this season; in a 4-3-3 shape that Rohl donned a lot earlier in the season.
Why Stuart Armstrong would be a huge coup for Rohl
Armstrong has shown his class in the Championship this season.
As per Sofascore, the 48-cap Scottish international averages 1.6 shots per game, 58.4 touches per game, 35.7 accurate passes, and 1.5 key passes.
He’s been a mainstay for Southampton since joining from Celtic in 2018, racking up 206 total appearances with 149 of those coming in the Premier League.
So he certainly doesn’t lack the experience, and this season he’s shown that he’s capable of playing in a fast-pace, passing Southampton side under Martin, and that he’s capable of both scoring and creating goals from midfield; something that the Owls desperately lack.
Rohl donned a 4-3-3 shape earlier in the season but he simply didn’t have the players for it. And whilst they look god in this new five-at-the-back set-up, a player like Armstrong who can play in a box-to-box role or a more advanced one would be ideal, whilst also adding a goal-scoring and goal-creating midfielder to the ranks.
But it would be a hugely ambitious move. Southampton may yet hand a new deal to Armstrong, although promotion could be a deciding factor in that, and if he does become a free agent then he’ll surely have plenty of suitors.
But Sheffield Wednesday and Dejphon Chansiri need to be ambitious no matter what the outcome of this season is, and a swoop for Armstrong would be just that; attaining Championship football though seems like a must if they want to sign Armstrong in the summer.