'Could be big' - Defender 'very happy' after Sheffield Wednesday contract decision made public

The 19-year-old centre back has come on leaps and bounds at Middlewood Road since joining as a free agent after leaving Burnley, going on to make his professional debut for the club and make a handful of Championship appearances - even scoring his first senior goal.

Otegbayo signed a deal last summer to keep him at the club for the 2024/25 campaign as reward for his work at U21 level, and now he’s been rewarded once more by the Owls after it was confirmed that he committed his future to the club beyond the end of this season.

The former Cobh Ramblers youngster spoke of how pleased he was to be sticking around at Hillsborough, and he thinks it ‘could be a really big season’ for the club as they look to push further up the table.

“It’s the next step and the right step in my career and I’m very happy to extend my contract with Sheffield Wednesday,” he told the club’s official website. “I feel like I’ve really kicked on, my game has really improved. The gaffer has given me chances, he’s believed in me and trusted me and I’ve taken those chances.

“Now I have to keep building on that, keep gaining experience and get many more minutes on the pitch. We have a great group here, this could be a really big season. The lads push me every day. Never do I come off the training pitch thinking ‘I’m not on it today’ because everyone is wanting the same thing.”

Otegbayo’s new deal turned out to be the Owls’ only business of January’s transfer deadline day, with no new faces coming through the door to join Stuart Armstrong and Ibrahim Cissoko in Danny Röhl’s ranks, and the lack of additions in central defence would suggest that ‘Gabs’ could get quite a few more appearances under his belt before the campaign is out.

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