Sheffield Wednesday have received 'no bids' for any players this summer, insists Steve Bruce

Steve Bruce, the Sheffield Wednesday chief, has confirmed the Championship club have received "no bids" for any of their players.
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Bruce believes the Owls are top-heavy in their attacking ranks, claiming his first-team squad is "unbalanced".

He has expressed a desire to trim their forward line this summer to generate extra funds to strengthen his playing roster in other areas.

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It is understood Jordan Rhodes remains on Norwich City's radar, although Bruce insists the Canaries are yet to make an offer for the striker, who was part of Norwich's promotion-winning squad last season on loan.

Jordan Rhodes is attracting the interest of Norwich CityJordan Rhodes is attracting the interest of Norwich City
Jordan Rhodes is attracting the interest of Norwich City

Bruce, who released six players at the end of the 2018/19 campaign, including George Boyd, Almen Abdi and Marco Matias, said: "As far as I am concerned, we have had no bids for anybody.

"I'm sure we have had one or two nibbles but we have had no written offers for anybody just yet."

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Having already agreed deals to sign out-of-contract players Julian Börner, Moses Odubajo and Kadeem Harris, Bruce is continuing to scour the market in search of reinforcements. The former Manchester United defender suggested at Owls in the Park on Sunday that another free agent could be invited to train with Wednesday during their 10-day warm-weather training camp in Portugal.

When quizzed on whether he expects any other new arrivals while abroad, Bruce replied: “Maybe.

"It’s somebody who maybe will join us for training in the next 10 days. I wouldn’t say a trialist but somebody who’s out of contract."

Wednesday have yet to announce the signings of centre-half Börner, right-sided player Odubajo and winger Harris because the club are currently under a soft transfer embargo due to filing their accounts late to the English Football League.

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On the embargo, Bruce said: "I think the big thing for supporters is, yes, there’s nobody more disappointed than me at the situation we’re in. But it doesn’t scare me.

"Because, Aston Villa (Bruce’s previous club) as I said, the team that got to the play-off final (in 2017/18), that lost to Fulham, five or six of them were loan players. (Robert) Snodgrass, (Lewis) Grabban, (Sam) Johnstone. I could name a few. Not quite good enough to go and make it.

"The team that’s got, this year, Aston Villa promoted, five of them again, different loan signings which transformed the team. So that’ll probably be the step, if we’re being realistic, that we’re going to go down."

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