Sheffield Wednesday have loaned their fair share of stars down the years.
For the first time in a long time, Sheffield Wednesday’s squad is almost completely devoid of loan players.
In recent years, the Owls have relied heavily on borrowed recruits, but the club’s new-found wealth, combined with (perhaps) the scrapping of the emergency window, has seen head coach Carlos Carvalhal focus on his own players – plus Sunderland’s Will Buckley – this campaign.
But how would Wednesday’s current crop measure up to the following XI, comprised of former loanees still playing professionally?
Scott Carson
It could be argued that Carson’s 2006 signing kept the Owls up. Post-Hillsborough, the 31-year-old experienced a swift ascent but a howler while on international duty soon put a halt to that. He is now Derby County’s number 1.
James Tavernier
Tavernier played a minor role in Wednesday’s 2012 promotion from League One before moving on to Wigan and then Rangers via various other temporary spells. The 24-year-old has shone so far for the Glasgow giants.
Alex Bruce
Decent centre-halves have been few and far between, so Bruce, one of the infamous ‘Kings of Cardiff’, makes it into our side. Son of new Aston Villa boss Steve, Bruce Jnr hasn’t played a lot of late, but was part of Hull’s promotion side last term.
Danny Batth
A key member of the 2011-12 side, Batth returned to boyhood club Wolverhampton Wanderers and hasn’t looked back. He signed a new four-year deal last month.
Wolves’ Batth
Daniel Pudil
He may have struggled for both fitness and form since his permanent switch to Hillsborough, but Pudil’s displays while borrowed from Watford last term were arguably the best of any Wednesday left-back this century.
Lewis Baker
Though we didn’t see a great deal of Baker, whose loan spell was prematurely terminated, the Chelsea youngster has continued to impress at Eredivisie side Vitesse Arnhem as well as England’s Under-21s.
Ross Barkley
Barkley’s four goals in 13 outings contributed to Wednesday’s survival in their first season back at Championship level (2012-13). The following campaign saw him break into Everton’s first team and ended in a World Cup trip with England.
Everton’s Barkley
Michail Antonio
Antonio’s arrival kick-started the Owls’ push for second place in 2011-12 and ensured he was brought back to the Steel City on a permanent basis from Reading. Now at West Ham United via a spell at Nottingham Forest, he, like Barkley, is another England international.
Ben Marshall
Such was his impact during the first half of the aforementioned promotion campaign, Marshall continues to be linked with a return to Hillsborough almost five years after his departure. He has since played for Leicester City and Blackburn Rovers, his current club.
Connor Wickham
Wickham loved his Owls spell so much he recently got engaged to a Wednesdayite. He scored nine goals in 17 games across two spells on loan from Sunderland, before being signed by Crystal Palace for £10 million.
Crystal Palace’s Wickham
Benik Afobe
Like Baker, Afobe struggled at Hillsborough but has since carved out a reputation at Wolverhampton Wanderers and Bournemouth, for whom he signed in a £12 million deal earlier this year.
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