A Sheffield Wednesday player could be set to join another South Yorkshire side on a free transfer this summer.
Sheffield Wednesday recently announced their retained list, with one or two surprises among fans.
One of the main surprises was the decision to let George Byers leave this summer; his contract expires next month following a spell on loan with Blackpool in League One.
Elsewhere, fans were also slightly surprised to see goalkeeper Cameron Dawson offered a new deal after he lost his place in the XI to loan man James Beadle.
There were also new deals for Barry Bannan, Josh Windass, and Di’Shon Bernard among others, with Danny Rohl and co looking to clear the decks but keep their existing quality.
Another name who’ll be released next month is Reece James; the left-back featured just eight times in the 2023/24 Championship campaign, playing just one league game in 2024.
But the 30-year-old, who only joined Sheffield Wednesday on a permanent deal last summer, is now set for talks with one of the Owls’ South Yorkshire rivals.
Reece James ‘set for talks’ with Rotherham United
James is reportedly set for talks with Rotherham United, who finished the 2023/24 campaign in last place of the Championship table.
But new manager Steve Evans has overseen a positive start to the summer with the Millers having already signed three new players, including Jonson Clarke-Harris on a free transfer.
And now Rotherham could bring in James who is ‘set for talks’ with the club, per journalist Alex Miller, with James also of interest to other clubs in League One and League Two.
Byers is also a person of interest at Rotherham United, per Miller, with Byers also having widespread interest from clubs in the English Football League.
Should Sheffield Wednesday have kept Reece James
James certainly didn’t enjoy the season that fans thought he would, and perhaps that he thought he would have.
He featured 28 times in League One in 2022/23, scoring once and assisting three, and becoming a well-liked name among fans for his creative and energetic performances at left-back.
But Rohl clearly didn’t favour him. The Owls more often than not played with five-at-the-back with Marvin Johnson the left wing-back, whereas James may be better-used as a left-back.
Even in the games where Rohl deployed a back-four, though, Johnson or Akin Famewo was still preferred, so it simply seems a case of James not being a Rohl-type player.
But he showed in League One with the Owls that he’s someone who can really contribute at that level, so a move to Rotherham who are steadily emerging as strong contenders in League One next season could be a very good move.
And for the Millers, bringing in a tried and tested full-back in James can only bolster their chances going into next season.
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