'As professionals' expiring Sheffield Wednesday contracts shouldn't affect Owls stars

Including the loans that will come to an end when the season finishes there are upwards of 16 Owls players who won't be at the club come July as things stand, and there's another summer of wholesale changes expected at Hillsborough regardless of which division they end up in.

Ihiekwe's contractual situation was never officially confirmed after he joined the club from Rotherham United as a free agent in 2022, the same year that he helped the Millers earn promotion to the Championship, but he knows all about staying focused when your future isn't exactly clear.

He says that it's in everyones best interests to stay focused on the task at hand, and is eager to see that happen at Wednesday as they head into the business end of what has been a very tough campaign for the Owls.

When asked if players were able to push next season to the backs of their minds he said, “You should be able to as a professional, I was in that situation myself at Rotherham - I think you just have to focus on how much there is to play for. If you try and think about other stuff like staying fit and all that then you’re not going to perform to the best of your abilities, and that will harm you whether you stay at the club or not.

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"So it’s in everyone’s best interests, I think, to not think about that stuff. You can’t control it at this moment, so you have to go out and give 100% - that’s where everyone’s mind is at.”

Wednesday's next game sees them take on Millwall on Saturday afternoon, a game that has now been given added importance after midweek results saw the Lions become the closest target for the Owls if they're to get out of the relegation zone.