Sheffield Wednesday could be about to let their first player leave since the end of the season.
The Owls released eight players at the end of their contracts, with Cameron Dawson and Will Vaulks both rejecting new deals.
Despite signing nine players themselves, Sheffield Wednesday are yet to offload anyone else to make way for their new additions.
The club have now dramatically strengthened their squad, which has pushed some of the younger ones further down in the pecking order.
Danny Rohl could now look to send some of them out on loan, with Gabriel Otegbayo being one of the first names on that list.
Sheffield Wednesday youngster could leave on loan
Writing on X, journalist Joe Crann said: “Led to believe that #SWFC will consider loaning out Gabriel Otegbayo this summer should the right opportunity arise.”
The defender signed a new contract in May and has been apart of the senior team’s preseason schedule.
Rohl has already heaped praise on Otegbayo, saying: “What I like is that he is a great personality who talks on the pitch. He leads the back four even at this young age and this is fantastic to see. This is what we need, he is calm on the ball and it is a fantastic opportunity to take him here, to give him this space, some minutes.”
Despite making his mark this summer, Wednesday’s number of options in their backline looks to temporarily force him out of the door.
The Owls are yet to bring in a new centre-back, but have been expected to do so and already have the likes of Di’Shon Bernard, Dominic Iorfa and Michael Ihiekwe at the forefront of Rohl’s mind.
The Star believes the German coach won’t just send Otegbayo out to the first interested club, but rather one that suits him and will allow him to develop further down the football pyramid.
They have also reported that the club are expected to offload a few more players before next month’s deadline day.
Who else could leave Hillsborough now?
Wednesday’s squad is now overflowing with players and it feels like they are going to struggle to do any further business if they can’t make more space for new additions.
Names that could also be loaned out include Pierce Charles, Jack Hall, Sam Reed, Joey Phuthi and Rio Shipston.
A number of senior players are likely to face the chopping block at Hillsborough too though, with Mallik Wilks and Michael Smith surely likely to be surplus to requirements by the end of August.
Wednesday could still sign a new striker as they look to bring Ike Ugbo back, while they also have Callum Paterson, Josh Windass, Charlie McNeill and Jamal Lowe who can all slot into the No.9 spot.
If the club do bring in another centre-back then perhaps Otegbayo won’t be the only one leaving either, with Rohl currently having six options in that position.