Sheffield Wednesday appear to be closing in on their first signing of what should be a very busy transfer window.
Expect Sheffield Wednesday and Danny Rohl to be hard at work in this summer’s transfer window, which officially opens on June 14th.
The Owls have plenty of gaps to fill after their narrow escape last season, especially so after the departures of their loan contingency and certain players leaving on free transfers.
Lee Gregory is among those to have already left, along with Reece James, whilst Barry Bannan and Liam Palmer have signed new deals, with Josh Windass expected to do the same.
Whoever stays, Rohl will still need to bring in a number of players in order to give Sheffield Wednesday the depth needed to compete in the Championship next season.
And it looks like free agent goalkeeper Ben Hamer will become his first summer signing.
Ben Hamer career so far
Hamer, 36, began his career with Reading. But in five years he’d never make a league appearances for the Royals, instead spending time out on loan in the lower leagues of the English Football League.
He made his name with Charlton Athletic who he signed for in 2011, staying until 2014 and playing under Sheffield Wednesday assistant coach Chris Powell.
The pair won the League One title together in 2012, with Hamer then joining Leicester City in 2014, though he spent their Premier League-winning campaign out on loan.
After spells as a permanent player at Huddersfield Town and Swansea City, Hamer joined Watford in 2022, making 22 total appearances before his release last month.
In his career, Hamer has made 361 total appearances, with 109 clean sheets.
What they say about Ben Hamer
Chris Powell on Ben Hamer in 2011: “The modern day goalkeeper and the way they kick it – I suppose it is the continental style – Ben is one of the best I’ve ever seen.
“He has been in the game a long time but he is very, very good at it and is very accurate. We now know we can counterattack, it’s part of any good team.”
Former Swansea City boss Russell Martin on Ben Hamer in 2021: “He’s got an air of calm around him, Ben, an air of assurance and confidence that I think has really helped the team, and I felt that was needed at this time.”
Ben Hamer player profile
- Full name: Benjamin Hamer
- Age: 36
- Height: 1.693m (6ft 3in)
- Nationality: English
- Date of birth: November 20th 1987
- Place of birth: Chard, England
- Position: Goalkeeper
- Club: (No club)
Ben Hamer highlights
Ben Hamer to Sheffield Wednesday analysis
Hamer certainly looks like he’s arriving as a back-up goalkeeper, and as a replacement for Cameron Dawson who’s now tipped to leave.
And he’ll be a very solid no.2 option with Sheffield Wednesday still exploring a return for Brighton loan man James Beadle.
Per Hamer’s highlights, he’s a very solid shot-stopper, especially at close range, with his height also making him very useful in set-pieces.
That could be handy for Sheffield Wednesday who were often poor at defending set plays last season, though how much football Hamer will realistically play remains to be seen.
If Beadle returns, he’ll be no.1. But Hamer will be a very solid no.2 and Powell can certainly vouch for him; Hamer could also be a great mentor for the 19-year-old Beadle.
Expect to see a few signings of this ilk at Sheffield Wednesday this summer, though Rohl needs to strike a balance between young and old, in what is already quite an ageing Sheffield Wednesday side.
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