Like all teams in the Championship, Sheffield Wednesday want to be active in January. And like most others as well, they’ll target the loan market.
There’s often a rush to snap up the best Premier League youngsters on loan in January, with the Championship often the league where they’re sent to gain some valuable experience.
This season, the Owls have both James Beadle and Shea Charles on loan from Premier League clubs.
And on more than one occasion recently, Danny Rohl has revealed that Sheffield Wednesday will focus on loan signings in January, with finances seemingly tight after the club’s recent stint under registration embargo.
But the loan market can be fruitful. And for Sheffield Wednesday who’ve been tipped to challenge for the play-offs, providing they can have a strong January, the winter window could see them perform better than most teams in the Championship.
Sheffield Wednesday’s transfer advantage which could catapult them into the top six
With regards to potential loan signings from Premier League clubs in January, Sheffield Wednesday already look as though they might have a couple of advantages.
The first is simply that Beadle and Charles are proving that Wednesday is a great club for Premier League talents to come and gain experience.
Southampton boss Russell Martin is very happy with Charles’ progression at Sheffield Wednesday and Brighton are clearly the same, having re-sent Beadle to Hillsborough for this season.
That fact alone holds the Owls in good stead ahead of January, and so too does the fact that Sheffield Wednesday still have three loan spots open in their first-team.
It means the Owls can move fast in January for the loan players they want. They won’t have to bide their time and calculate like other teams who may have just the one loan slot available.
Sheffield Wednesday told what their ‘immediate focus’ should be
For the Owls ahead of January, it’s looking good: they’re in form, actively looking for loan signings, and remain an attractive destination for loan players too.
Many fans and pundits alike believe that Wednesday can really become dark horses in the top six race with a good January window. But their immediate focus shouldn’t be on that.
Posting on X this week, journalist Dom Howson said Sheffield Wednesday’s ‘immediate focus’ should be to reach 50 points in the Championship, and then go from there.
Last season, 51 points would’ve beaten the drop, whilst 74 would’ve been enough to claim 6th place in the Championship table.
If the Owls are to reach 74 points this season, they need to average 1.72 points-per-game from now until the end of the campaign.