A player who was once fancied by Sheffield Wednesday could seal a big money move to Real Madrid in 2025.
‘Big money’ and Sheffield Wednesday are not two things that go hand in hand, whether that be money spent by the Owls, or money received.
During the summer, Sheffield Wednesday paid £2.5million for Ike Ugbo, making him the club’s most expensive signing in five years.
Still, Sheffield Wednesday’s most expensive signing to date remains Jordan Rhodes who sealed a £10million move from Middlesbrough to Hillsborough in early 2017.
And the Owls’ most expensive player sale remains that of Lucas Joao to Reading in 2019, which cost the Royals a reported £5million.
Those fees compared to some of the transfer fees thrown around by Europe’s elites are nothing. But now, a player who Sheffield Wednesday were linked with in 2021 could seal what would be a huge money move to Real Madrid in 2025.
- READ MORE: Dom Howson delivers gloomy update on Sheffield Wednesday embargo as clock ticks on Dejphon Chansiri
Former Sheffield Wednesday target Jarrad Branthwaite wanted by Real Madrid
Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite may be a name familiar to Sheffield Wednesday fans, and one they might remember was actually linked with a move to S6 in 2021.
During the 2021 January transfer window, Branthwaite was linked with a loan move to Sheffield Wednesday, though Blackburn Rovers won the race.
Fast-forward to now and Branthwaite is a key player for Everton. He’s been constantly linked with Manchester United who saw a £45million bid rejected in the summer, after Branthwaite made his England debut during the summer.
Now, outlet caughtoffside claim that Real Madrid are tracking Branthwaite ahead of the New Year, with a separate report from GIVEMSPORT claiming that the centre-back is now worth £70million.
- READ MORE: Danny Rohl told his ‘dream scenario’ for Sheffield Wednesday in January, three new signings outed
The one player who has played for both Sheffield Wednesday and Real Madrid
Branthwaite never did make it to Sheffield Wednesday. But if he did for that half-a-season, in which the Owls were eventually relegated from the Championship, then he would’ve become just the second player to have played for both the Owls and Real Madrid.
The only one to have done so is Royston Drenthe. Now 37, one-cap Dutch international Drenthe appeared to retire last year after spending time with Dutch fourth tier side Kozakken Boys.
During the 2014/15 season, the winger spent time on loan at Wednesday from Reading, several years after he left Real Madrid for whom he made 65 total appearances, compared to 15 for the Owls, with one goal in blue and white.
After leaving Wednesday midway through the 2014/15 season, Drenthe would go on to play for various teams in Turkey, Spain, and the Netherlands.