Exclusive:Centre back set for Sheffield Wednesday deal amid rave reviews

The 20-year-old centre back, who has come up through the ranks in the Owls’ academy, has captained the club at youth level and become a highly rated individual at Middlewood Road.

This season saw him head out to Scarborough Athletic for a short loan spell that was so successful that they extended it further, and then when it was cut short by injury towards the end of 2024 the Seadogs fought hard to get him back for the second half of the season once he’d recovered.

Mackenzie Maltby shining on loan

‘Macca’ has gone on to play 20 games for Scarborough in total, also spending time back with the Owls during his loan, and The Star understands that his progress over the last season has led to Wednesday offering him a new deal to stay at S6.

It remains to be seen what the exact plan for the young defender is for next season, however it may be that he gets a chance to spend preseason with his mother club before potentially heading out on loan once again further up the pyramid.

Maltby is one of a number of young players who the club are hoping to tie down this summer alongside the likes of Ernie Weaver, Jack Phillips and others, and they’ll be eager to get things wrapped up as soon as possible so that they’re all set for the 2025/26 campaign when the team returns in the summer.