SHEFFIELD Wednesday are believed to have lost out on a possible swoop for Crystal Palace midfielder Carl Fletcher because he was injured while captaining Wales.
The 28-year-old is understood to have been among the Owls' targets.
But any deal has been scuppered by ankle ligament damage that resulted in him being carried off in Wales's 1-0 win in Iceland last week - a game in which he was skippering his country for the first time.
Fletcher has lost his place as a Palace first-team regular since Neil Warnock became manager.
Warnock said recently that though the midfielder had done well when called upon, he would not be in a full-strength side and the Eagles would not stand in his way if another club came in and a suitable deal could be agreed.
Wednesday are in the market for another centre-midfield man and are believed to have been pursuing him.
But Fletcher, who has another year left on his contract, is expected to be out for at least six weeks and appears to be facing a race against time to be in shape for the new season. Wednesday are now understood to have switched to other targets to follow the probable signing of Burnley midfield James O'Connor.
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