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Sheffield Wednesday could either have a brilliant summer or a disastrous one, depending on whether talk of a takeover comes to fruition. If it does, we know exactly who the Owls should sign.
It’s been a bit of a rollercoaster ride for Sheffield Wednesday fans this season. A slow start made way for a tantalising run of form in the middle of the campaign leading to an outside chance of breaching the play-off places.
However, with speculation linking Danny Rohl with an exit, it appeared focus started to fade at Hillsborough and inconsistent results left the Owls to finish the season in 12th place.
Rohl could be off, then, and there are major issues behind the scenes due to Dejphon Chansiri’s ownership, but that could all be solved in the near future.
There are rumours of a Sheffield Wednesday takeover coming this summer, with the very wealthy Walton family the latest to be linked to the S6 club.
If that happens, there could be money to burn in the transfer window, and here are five signings we think the Owls need to get over the line to immediately improve the squad.
Five players Sheffield Wednesday should splash out on this summer
Jamie Vardy
It’s been said that Premier League talent would flock to Sheffield Wednesday if a takeover did happen, and there is no player the Owls fans want more than Jamie Vardy.
He’s leaving Leicester City this summer on a free transfer, but that doesn’t necessarily mean he will be a cheap signing for any club, given his wage demands.
We’re told Vardy does want the Sheffield Wednesday move, and it would be a dream come true for all parties, really, given his connection to the club.
The Owls might struggle to meet his wishes in the current climate, but with financial backing, there’s no reason they can’t compete with the big offers Vardy is likely to receive from abroad.
Alfie Doughty
After releasing both Marvin Johnson and Ryo Hatsuse this week, it’s safe to say Sheffield Wednesday need a new left-back (or two).
With Luton Town suffering the indignity of back-to-back relegations, they’re likely to have something of an exodus in the summer, and full-back Alfie Doughty will be a wanted man.
The truth is, there can be no better option for Wednesday to sign if they’re in the market for a new left-back, and while Doughty will cost a pretty penny, he would immediately elevate the Owls squad quite significantly.
Maksym Talovierov
Preying on the relegated clubs is always a surefire way to pick up a good deal, and Plymouth Argyle are likely to be targeted by a number of clubs for plenty of their players this summer.
Maksym Talovierov has hinted he will leave Plymouth, and there are already interested parties when it comes to the Ukrainian centre-half.
Wednesday struggled defensively this season, especially from set-pieces, and having this beast of a centre-back in their ranks would go a long way to solving that.
Joe Rothwell
Sheffield Wednesday fans may want the club to go all-out straight away in an attempt to really challenge for at the top in the Championship next season, but we’ve seen that approach fail so many times before, disastrously so.
Instead, a shrewd and steady directive would be best for the first season under the prospective new owners, and the signing of midfielder Joe Rothwell would be the perfect example of this.
The 30-year-old had a solid season at Leeds United on loan from Bournemouth, and would be relatively easy to acquire this summer if Wednesday want to add some steel and bite to their midfield in the wake of Shea Charles’ departure.
Kyle Walker-Peters
Another big-name free agent Sheffield Wednesday could and should look at, if they have the funds, is Kyle Walker-Peters.
The full-back will leave Southampton next month and while there’s every chance Premier League clubs offer him a deal, Wednesday could persuade him to join their project, especially if Danny Rohl sticks around.
They worked together previously at Southampton, and Walker-Peters would be a massive improvement for the Owls on the right side of defence after releasing Pol Valentin.
Sheffield Wednesday will need a top manager, too
Rohl appears to have burned his bridges in S6 now, which means one of the first tasks for Chansiri or any incumbent owner will be to find a new Sheffield Wednesday manager.
We’ve already outlined five candidates to replace Rohl; including Dave Challinor, Raphael Wicky, and Gary O’Neil.
There’s also talk of Henrik Pedersen staying on as the new head coach after serving as Rohl’s assistant over the last two years.
However, with a new owner, there would naturally be more ambitious managerial targets in mind. Steve Cooper may fancy the challenge, or perhaps Russell Martin would abandon his ambitions of taking over at Rangers and head to Yorkshire, instead?
Only time will tell if any of this comes to pass. It could be a dream summer for Sheffield Wednesday, but it could also end up being an absolute nightmare, too, if this takeover collapses and Rohl departs.