Sheffield Wednesday news and rumours: Owls begin pre-season preparations, Wednesday miss out on defender target, tough-tackling midfielder linked with club

Sheffield Wednesday have kicked off their pre-season preparations in Portugal, with manager Steve Bruce putting the Owls through their paces ahead of the 2019/20 season.

Midfielder Joey Pelupessy told the Star that the squad were in fine spirits, and that they would be looking to carry their positive momentum from the end of last season into the upcoming campaign.

The Owls will undergo an intensive, ten day training programme in the Algarve, before returning to Sheffield ahead of early pre-season fixtures against the likes of Lincoln City and Northampton Town.

In other news, Wednesday look to have missed out on defensive target Jake Bidwell, who has been signed by Swansea City.

The former Everton starlet was linked with a move to Hillsborough earlier in the summer, but have since turned their attentions towards German ace Julian Borner, and are still chasing Chelsea defender Michael Hector.

Meanwhile, Wednesday have again been linked with a move for midfielder Lee Cattermole, who was released by Sunderland on Monday in order to cut down their wage bill.

Given that Bruce has managed the 31-year-old twice previously, reports have suggested that he will look to reunite with the tough-tackling midfielder.

Wednesday are understood to be looking for a new central midfielder, but it is unclear whether they have any genuine interest in the former Middlesbrough man.