Why one man holds all the cards as Sheffield Wednesday plot free-agent deal ahead of summer - opinion

Sheffield Wednesday already have their sights on a potential summer signing.

The summer seems as though it can’t come soon enough for Sheffield Wednesday.

After such a turbulent season both on and off the pitch, the Owls need a summer to reset themselves and regather their thoughts for the long and short-term.

In the short-term, Wednesday are fighting for Championship survival. In the long-term, there’s no real vision or strategy in place.

So it’s certainly an alarming time for the club, but if Danny Rohl can guide the Owls to safety this season, then it looks as though a long-term plan could quickly fall into place.

Sheffield Wednesday summer transfer plans

There’ll certainly be a lot of work for head of recruitment Kevin Beadell to help oversee this summer.

As things stand, all of Barry Bannan, Josh Windass, Liam Palmer, Di’Shon Bernard, Cameron Dawson, Will Vaulks, Dominic Iorfa and Lee Gregory are out of contract.

Rohl is keen on keeping Bannan, Windass, and Bernard, as per reports.

Relegation or not, Wednesday will surely oversee a high turnover of players once again this summer as owner Dejphon Chansiri looks to tighten the club’s ever-inflated wage bill.

Expect the free agent market to be heavily utilised once again this summer, with Leeds United loan man Ian Poveda a target.

Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images

Sheffield Wednesday target Leeds United man Ian Poveda

Poveda, 24, joined Sheffield Wednesday on loan from Leeds United on deadline day last month.

Since, the Colombian international has shone; he’s featured eight times in the Championship with one assist, but his overall creativity in attack and threat going forward has made him a huge fan favourite.

Poveda sees his Leeds United contract expire this summer and Sheffield Wednesday are reportedly interested in a permanent swoop for the midfielder, along with Birmingham City.

Danny Rohl holds all the cards

Poveda hasn’t has the easiest of careers so far.

Although he’s spent time in some of the biggest youth academies in the world, he’s often been on the move, and since joining Leeds United he’s been in and out of the first-team, often sent out on loan.

But finally it looks as though Poveda is finding form and finding confidence.

Playing in an expressive Sheffield Wednesday side and playing regularly, Poveda is really starting to blossom, showing everyone what he can do at Championship level.

And ahead of his Leeds contract expiry, he’ll surely want this current situation to continue into next season.

But for Poveda to stay at Sheffield Wednesday, it would no doubt require Rohl to also stay at Hillsborough.

Rohl’s tactics and belief in players like Poveda is arguably the reason why the Colombian has flourished in S6, but Rohl’s future remains unclear.

There are Championship teams interested in Rohl ahead of the summer and if Wednesday are relegated, Rohl surely moves on, and a deal for Poveda surely breaks down.

So there seems to be a whole lot riding on this season and finishing above the dotted line.

If that happens and Rohl stays, there could be a very positive summer on the cards for Sheffield Wednesday.

The post Why one man holds all the cards as Sheffield Wednesday plot free-agent deal ahead of summer - opinion appeared first on Sheffield Wednesday News.