The Queens Park Rangers defender could be ideal for Sheffield Wednesday.
Sheffield Wednesday continue to be priced out in their search for a new centre-back, their head coach Carlos Carvalhal admitted recently.
Middlesbrough’s Daniel Ayala, Newcastle United’s Grant Hanley and Derby County’s Richard Keogh are among those to have been linked with moves to Hillsborough this summer, but the Owls are yet to add to their options at the heart of their defence.
If bargains are what Carvalhal is after, then targeting those whose contracts expire at the end of the coming campaign could be the way to go – although it still doesn’t guarantee they’ll come cheap.
Nevertheless, HITC Sport has picked out five names who could potentially fit the bill for Wednesday, continuing with Queens Park Rangers’ Steven Caulker.
Former Liverpool loanee Steven Caulker
Who is he?
A man with an England goals-to-games ratio identical to that of ex-Owls striker Francis Jeffers – one in one. It’s five years since Caulker was capped for his country, however, and things have gone a fair bit downhill since then. Personal problems haven’t helped, but a fresh start could lead the 25-year-old back to his best. A graduate of Tottenham Hotspur’s academy, Caulker has played 123 times at Premier League level, for Spurs, Swansea, Cardiff, QPR, Southampton and Liverpool, where he ended the campaign before last.
What would he bring to Wednesday?
Aside from big club and top level experience, the Londoner would add presence (he’s 6ft 3) and leadership (he was Cardiff’s captain) to Carvalhal’s back line, as well as a touch of pace and composure on the ball.
QPR’s Steven Caulker
Would he come to Hillsborough?
QPR are said to want Caulker’s reported £30,000-a-week wages off the books, which suggests there may be a bit of leeway where his transfer fee is concerned. A move to Wednesday would likely appeal to the player, given they could plausibly get close to matching his current salary and he would be in line to play more regularly than he does at present, although the Owls’ chances would perhaps depend on interest from elsewhere. Celtic, whose manager Brendan Rodgers worked with Caulker at Swansea, are said to have held talks (The Mirror) and could potentially offer Champions League football.
Stay tuned for part four of this HITC Sport feature on Thursday…
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