Sheffield Wednesday could score a huge summer transfer if they join the race for this 24-year-old striker.
For Sheffield Wednesday in this summer transfer window, it looks like strikers is the main priority.
The Owls struggled in front of goal last season, albeit finding scoring form more so under Danny Rohl, ending the season with just 44 league goals to their name; the second-lowest in the Championship.
Ike Ugbo and Anthony Musaba were the joint-top scorers with seven Championship goals each, followed by Josh Windass on six.
If the Owls are to beat the drop again next season, or even go one better and challenge at the other end of the table, then they’ll desperately need bodies through the door this summer; especially so in attack with Ugbo’s loan having ended and Windass out of contract.
But Rohl could find the answer to Sheffield Wednesday’s goal-scoring woes with a swoop for Motherwell and Canada striker Thao Bair, who’s the subject of widespread transfer interest right now.
Who is Theo Bair
Bair, 24, began his footballing journey in Canada with Vancouver Whitecaps but has made his name in Scotland with Motherwell.
He joined the club last summer and went on to score 15 goals and assist six more in 38 Scottish Premiership appearances, earning himself an unexpected spot in the Scottish PFA Team of the Season.
Described as a ‘goalscoring animal’, Bair is a striker with pace and power, standing at 6ft 2ins, with his highlights showcasing his deft finishing ability at close range.
In league games last season, Bair averaged 1.9 shots-per-game and 0.8 shots on target-per-game, compared to Ugbo’s 1.3 and 0.6 respectively (stats from Sofascore).
Bair also scored 14 goals from inside the box compared to Ugbo’s 11 (across spells with Cardiff City and Sheffield Wednesday), with Bair also trumping Ugbo for touches-per-game, averaging 28.2 compared to Ugbo’s 19.5.
The likes of Sunderland, Blackburn Rovers, and Cardiff City are said to be interested in the Motherwell man, though German outfit St Pauli are currently thought to be leading the race.
It would be a potentially expensive pursuit for Sheffield Wednesday given the widespread interest, with Transfermarkt valuing Bair at £0.85million.
But the Owls could have an in where a potential move for Bair is regarded.
Sheffield Wednesday favourite Ike Ugbo knows Theo Bair
Bair has two caps for Canada, both coming in 2020. But his form for Motherwell in 2023/24 saw him recalled to the national team.
He was on the bench for Canada’s 2-0 win against Trinidad & Tobago in March; a game that Ugbo started, with both Bair and Ugbo heading to Copa America with their nation this summer.
Ugbo and Bair face uncertain summers. Ugbo is desperately wanted back at Sheffield Wednesday along with Ian Poveda, whilst January striker targets Duncan McGuire and Mika Biereth are also fancied by the Owls.
But McGuire and Biereth could be expensive pursuits with the latter apparently valued at close to £6million.
Ugbo would also be expensive and it may be that Sheffield Wednesday can only spend well on one or two players this summer, so the idea of both Ugbo and Bair joining seems far-fetched.
But Rohl could do a lot worse than add Bair to his list of summer targets, and if an interest materialises, Bair could ask Ugbo for what would surely be a glowing reference of Sheffield Wednesday.
Bair’s scoring stats, and his assists and passing stats suggest that he’s got the nouse of Ugbo, but that he can also provide better creativity in the final third, which in a dynamic Rohl set up would be ideal.
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