Laws being priced out of transfer market

So it has to be small steps as the club try to apply the finishing touches to their squad for the new season.

Manager Brian Laws says that the Owls and other clubs are finding that financial demands in the English market have rocketed in recent months.

It means clubs have to be wary in their moves - or risk plunging themselves into financial trouble.

Even clubs as low as League Two have been quoting 1.5 million for players and League One performers have gone for prices as high as 2m.

Laws said: "We trying to add to our squad, not in desperation but to build for the future.

"One thing that everyone is finding is that the market has changed dramatically in the last six months, with fees and the demands from players.

"I'm not having a go at players; it's just the way the game has gone.

"You can identify a player you want, but even if do manage to do a deal with his club you then find that you can't conclude the deal because of his demands.

"The Premier League is awash with money, and it seems that inflation has filtered down to the lower levels.

"Clubs have to work within budgets, and I'm sure supporters don't want their clubs to take backwards steps financially.

"At the moment we're coping with the situation - but we have to take small steps, not giant ones, in an attempt to meet impossible demands.

"I'm sure our supporters don't want us to go beyond our means and go backwards financially."

Laws and Wednesday chief executive Kaven Walker have also been exploring the foreign market and left yesterday to watch a player in Europe.