Sheffield Wednesday: Carlos Carvalhal remains happy with his striking options despite Jordan Rhodes talk

Wednesday have found goals hard to come by this season, scoring just 23 times in their 20 Championship matches.

One national newspaper recently claimed the Owls are eying up a move for Rhodes when the transfer window reopens next month. The report suggested Wednesday are interested in signing the 26-year-old, who is the son of Owls goalkeeping coach Andy, on a loan deal for the remainder of the season, possibly with a view to a permanent switch if the club achieved promotion.

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Rhodes has struggled to hold down a regular starting spot at Boro. He has not scored at the Riverside since his £9m move from Blackburn Rovers last January and made only his second Premier League start of the campaign in Sunday’s loss at Southampton.

But despite the team’s troubles in front of goal, Carvalhal is backing his forward line to fire them up the table.

He said: “We believe we will score goals and achieve good results with these players. I’m happy with the players we have. We have the capacity to score goals and win games.”

Steven Fletcher is in the frame to start against Barnsley tonight, having scored two goals in as many matches from the bench. He could replace Atdhe Nuhiu but Fernando Forestieri (suspension) and Gary Hooper (hamstring) remain unavailable.

Carvalhal has ruled out splashing the cash in January. He has stressed the importance of Wednesday complying with the Financial Fair Play regulations. From this season, through 2017-18 and to 2018-19, Championship clubs are permited a maximum total loss of £39 million over the three-season period (£13 million per season). In the Premier League, the equivalent figure is £105 million (£35 million per season).

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Carvalhal said: “We have known, since the beginning, where the best players are of the competition but we can’t put the club in embargo. We have Financial Fair Play to consider.

“This is important as there are some clubs who may have problems now with Financial Fair Play or at the end of the season. But we are trying to do things in a proper way.

“For the future, I don’t think we need a revolution here. We have our players and trust in them. We expect to recover some important players soon like Fernando, Gary, Marco Matias and Almen Abdi. These are four players who will come inside the team and make us more strong in the future.

“If we go to the market in January, we will be with limitations. What you want is one thing. What you can achieve is another.”

David Jones (calf) is fit again but Abdi (hamstring), Will Buckley (shoulder) and Urby Emanuelson (ankle) are still sidelined.

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