Future of Sheffield Wednesday defender in question - shift in u21 loan policy confirmed

That’s according to manager Xisco, fielding questions over the club’s loan policy going forward with regard to the club’s younger players.

The Star reported last week that the club were considering a sparing use of the loans market, a shift in policy on recent season with youngsters routinely fielded out to lower league clubs in the quest for senior experience.

The Spaniard explained his reasoning behind wanting to keep more players in-house, with players going out on loan only if an offer is received from a club that matches the philosophy being put in place at S6.

On 23-year-old Brennan, the future is less clear-cut. The former Republic of Ireland youth international is not eligible to play first team football at Wednesday having not been included on their EFL squad registration list.

“For him, we don’t know exactly what the future is,” Xisco said. “Sometimes it’s not because of the level of the player. Young guys in the first team can stop another.

“I can speak very well about him. He was training with me in pre-season and he is a professional player who gives everything in training.

“It is not a clear situation right now about him. We will see what happens in the next weeks.”

On a policy that will see more young players kept in-house, he used the example of talented midfielder Rio Shipston as a player who will need careful guidance.

An ideal environment, he said, is hugely important.

“I would prefer for them to stay in our club - or if they go out on loan it must be to a good place.

“If a club is giving the same philosophy as our club and they are working with a coach that is conscious of this philosophy, then maybe it’s OK.

“But to send them for nothing? It’s important to understand how many players we need for the future. We have important players in our academy, good players. And we need to start working.

“What are the best conditions for Rio [Shipston]? How can we improve him, or win time for him to be ready for the first team next season? These are the things we need to start thinking.”

He made clear that loan decisions will not be motivated by money, rather that he has faith in the club’s ability to promote from within and mould their prospects towards the style of play they wish to achieve.

He expressed a passion to bring local youngsters through into senior contention.

“Paying 100 per cent of the salary is not the problem,” he said. “The problem is how we can give better things for our players. I know how the academy is working and they are working very well.

“I went to the game in the international break [vs Charlton Athletic]. They are working very well. We need to create for the future something different.

“It is important you have the blood of this city in our first team.”