Sheffield Wednesday: Barry Bannan is relishing reunion with Glenn Loovens

Loovens, released by the Owls at the end of last season having made 150 appearances for the Championship side, moved to Wearside in July.

The Dutch defender, who was Wednesday’s club captain, signed a two-year deal with the Black Cats and has started their opening two League One fixtures.

Bannan told The Star: “Sunderland will be a big game they have bought well during the summer.

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“Glenn is there and it will be a tough game. We will work hard in training this week to put the things we have done wrong right.

“We will try and go there and start on the front foot.

“It will be good to see Glenn he was a great character here and a good guy and everybody misses him. I saw him a few weeks ago and I keep in contact with him regularly.

“I will stay away from him on the pitch because I know he likes to kick a few people! I will stay away from him until after the game.”

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Wednesday owner Dejphon Chansiri revealed at a fans forum last week that the club have been operating under a temporary transfer embargo since April after breaching the English Football League’s profitability and sustainability regulations.

No new arrivals have joined the Owls this summer.

Asked if he is worried by their inability to bring in reinforcements, Bannan said: “It is not a concern that we have not signed anybody because we know what we are capable of.

“Obviously on another day, you would have liked to have had fresh faces to keep everybody on their toes.

“We are lucky and unlucky to have had an injury list which was quite long and have players coming back who will be big players for this club.”

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