Danny Rohl finally got a proper chance to reshape the Sheffield Wednesday squad in his own image this summer, and 11 new faces arrived at the club, but not all of the signings have worked out so far.
After pulling off the great escape last season, Danny Rohl was given a modest transfer kitty to make improvements to the roster of players at Sheffield Wednesday.
The Owls released eight players, sold one, and loaned out a further two, while 11 new signings came to Hillsborough to replace them, with varying degrees of success.
As we are now a third of the way into the Championship season, it’s time to take a look at all the incomings and assess whether they’ve been a hit or a flop as we rate every new signing out of 10 based on their performances so far.
Sheffield Wednesday’s summer signings were largely successful
Out of the 11 signings Danny Rohl made this summer, there have been a couple of decent squad players brought in, while Svante Ingelsson shows great promise. Meanwhile, the loan deals for James Beadle and Shea Charles have given the Owls real quality in their starting XI.
Shea Charles – 9
Arriving on a season-long loan from Southampton, it would not be exaggerating to say that Shea Charles has transformed the Sheffield Wednesday team. The young midfielder is offering brilliant protection for the backline while also dictating play from deep a lot of the time, and his defensive discipline has allowed Barry Bannan more freedom to step up and create in the attacking third.
James Beadle – 8
Renewing the loan deal for James Beadle was a good move by Rohl, as the young goalkeeper continues to show he is more than capable at this level. Despite the odd mistake here and there, Beadle exhibits great command of his area, is comfortable with the ball at his feet, and makes some big saves when the Owls need him most.
Svante Ingelsson – 8
We’ve only just started to see what the Swedish midfielder can do, but with a high work-rate, incredible athleticism, and neat footwork, Ingelsson could end up being a key player for Rohl as the season progresses. His display in the win against Norwich City was a particular highlight.
Max Lowe – 7
The injury to Akin Famewo has really opened the door for Max Lowe to switch up his role and shine in a back three alongside Dominic Iorfa and Di’Shon Bernard. The defender put in a great performance against Norwich, before another solid outing against his former club Sheffield United, and he can really make that left-sided centre-back slot his own now.
Yan Valery – 7
With Marvin Johnson flying down the left, Rohl needed someone to match that on the right side and bring balance to his wing-back system, and Yan Valery has largely delivered on that front. The Tunisian defender has the awareness and discipline to stand firm at the back, and likes to get forward, but just needs to improve on his final ball now.
- READ MORE: Worrying Sheffield Wednesday trend shows Danny Rohl has a major problem that he needs to fix
Ike Ugbo has been a real disappointment
It has not all been good business for Wednesday, though. The big money move for Ike Ugbo has failed to pay dividends thus far, while injuries have left some players struggling to make an impact. Meanwhile, the likes of Jamal Lowe and Charlie McNeill have work to do if they are to impress.
Charlie McNeill – 6
The youngster arrived from the Manchester United youth setup on a free transfer, but has not really been given enough opportunities to show what he can do yet. McNeill has featured prominently in the Carabao Cup, though, and bagged two goals in the win over Hull City to tease the great promise he possesses.
Olaf Kobacki – 5
To be fair to Kobacki, he was looking fairly good at the start of the season, before a muscle injury has seen him miss five of the last seven matches. Once he gets back in his rhythm, the Polish winger could be a useful member of Rohl’s squad, but he will be disappointed with his lack of attacking returns so far.
Jamal Lowe – 5
Another free transfer this summer, Jamal Lowe is competing for first-team football with Michael Smith and Ike Ugbo, and is largely losing that battle. The striker hasn’t scored since August, and is having to make do with bit-part appearances from the bench, but needs to do more when he does get his opportunities.
| Statistic | Jamal Lowe | Ike Ugbo | Michael Smith |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appearances | 14 | 17 | 17 |
| Minutes played | 663 | 787 | 635 |
| Goals | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| Shots on target % | 23.5 | 36.4 | 44.4 |
| Shot-creating actions per 90 | 2.05 | 1.53 | 3.25 |
Ike Ugbo – 3
Speaking of disappointing attacking returns, the lack of goals for Ike Ugbo is becoming a real concern for Sheffield Wednesday now. The £3m striker is low on confidence and lacks composure in front of goal, which is a far cry from his prolific form of last season. It’s time for Danny Rohl to drop Ike Ugbo and give Michael Smith the game time instead.
Ben Hamer – N/A
The experienced Ben Hamer was primarily brought in as backup to Beadle, and the free transfer is yet to play this season, so it would be unfair to give him a rating at this stage. That’s not to say it wasn’t a good signing, because he would be more than capable of stepping in if and when he is needed.
Nathaniel Chalobah – N/A
The Nathaniel Chalobah situation is a little more concerning. Another free transfer, the midfielder has not played so far this season due to fitness issues, and that needs to be rectified as soon as possible. The problem is, Chalobah is earning a staggering amount of money to be sat on the sidelines for the last few months.