The new Sheffield Wednesday manager already has a squad of players over 30 big.
The new Sheffield Wednesday manager, Steve Bruce, is unlikely to enter the free transfer market between now and the summer.
Bruce signed three new players – Dominic Iorfa [permanently from Wolves], Rolando Aarons and Achraf Lazaar [both on loan from Newcastle] – in the final hours of the January window.
But the 58-year-old can still add to his squad any player who was already without a club before 11pm on deadline day.
Asked, however, if he intends to pursue any free agents, Bruce told Sheffield Wednesday’s official Facebook page: “I don’t think now I’ll be looking to bring anybody in.
“As I’ve said to all of them [the Owls players], we’re going to work with the squad we’ve got. Hopefully I’ll give most of them a chance.
“Certainly, I won’t break up the squad and I won’t have people training elsewhere with the Under-23s [an approach taken by Bruce’s predecessor, Jos Luhukay]. I’ll keep the main group if we can. But it’s not going to be easy, that, because of the numbers.
“I’ve made a pledge to them all that they’re all going to be given a chance – and that includes in training. I hope that creates a decent environment for them.”
Bruce took 20 first-team players with him to Ipswich Town on Saturday, but was forced to leave out two, along with the seven available players who remained in Sheffield.
Speaking to the Star this week, the former Aston Villa boss admitted that his ideal squad size is 23 or 24 players.
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Sheffield Wednesday have nine first-teamers out of contract this summer, and four loanees due back at their parent clubs.
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