EXCLUSIVE: Josh Windass injury throws Sheffield Wednesday loan extension into question

The Wigan Athletic man, who arrived on loan on deadline day of the January transfer window, has scored two goals in four appearances for the Owls but is looking at up to three weeks out with a calf injury, ruling him out of Wednesday’s first ‘three or four’ matches back from the coronavirus suspension.

Windass’ injury is believed to have been picked up in the club’s training session at Hillsborough on Wednesday.

The terms of his loan deal run out at the end of this month and the injury has cast question marks over whether the club will press on with the extension of Windass’ loan into the end of the season.

Wednesday have nine matches left this season including a gruelling run of eight matches in 24 days.

It is understood that Wednesday officials contacted the parent clubs of their loanees on Friday to discuss the extension of their deals, though it is not known how the injury has affected those talks. Windass is believed to be keen to extend his deal and see out the campaign at Wednesday.

The news comes after Owls boss Garry Monk reported ‘one or two niggles’ in his squad last week following the squad’s return to contact training.

It gives Monk a headache with regard to the size of his playing squad as he attempts to navigate a manic schedule. Jordan Rhodes is currently the only senior Wednesday forward to be confirmed as a Wednesday player beyond the end of this month, from which point Wednesday will play seven further matches.

The Star also revealed today that livewire forward Fernando Forestieri is yet to hear from the club with regard to any contract extension, while the futures of top-scorer Steven Fletcher, Atdhe Nuhiu and Sam Winnall – all out of contract at the end of June – are unknown.

Talks around the loan extensions of Connor Wickham and Alessio Da Cruz are believed to have been held but deals are yet to be confirmed.

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