The Sheffield Wednesday midfielder is reportedly wanted by two Championship clubs.
Keiren Westwood. Jack Hunt. Barry Bannan. Kieran Lee. Gary Hooper. Lucas Joao. All of whom are important players for Sheffield Wednesday. All of whom could leave the Owls for nothing next summer.
Wednesday’s run-in with Financial Fair Play could have arrived at a better time. Had the Yorkshire side encountered this problem a year ago, they would have been better placed to act.
But with this summer’s budget offering little room for manoeuvre, the Owls’ ability to extend those expiring contracts could hinge on funds being raised elsewhere.
The trouble is that, in terms of those on whom Wednesday would be willing to cash in under normal circumstances, there are few you would expect to generate too much interest, due to either their recent form or their largely unwarranted high salaries. Given their scoring records at clubs other than the Owls, strikers Jordan Rhodes and Sam Winnall are perhaps the most likely exceptions, although Winnall is still recovering from cruciate ligament damage. And that could create a conundrum for those at the top of Hillsborough, especially with Bannan already said to have attracted interest.
The longer Wednesday go without finding buyers for their unwanted players, the more tempted they might become to offload those they would rather keep. And it is the sales of those whose deals expire in 2019 that may have to take precedence, even though the likes of Fernando Forestieri, Adam Reach and Tom Lees would generate arguably the most money.
Crucially, though, the latter trio still have time to run on their deals and, unlike those mentioned at the top, cannot walk out for nothing in only a year’s time.
Which of those whose deals expire in 2019 should Sheffield Wednesday consider selling this summer?
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