Sheffield Wednesday news and rumours: Steve Bruce laud pre-season preparations, Owls dealt transfer market blow, new boys impress with initiation songs

Achraf Lazaar arrives for pre-season training at Newcastle.

Here's all today's stories and transfer rumours involving the Owls

Sheffield Wednesday have continued their intense pre-season preparations in the Algarve, with Steve Bruce's side looking to earn themselves promotion back to the Premier League by the end of the upcoming season.

The squad have been put through their paces with a series of fitness tests, including some brutal shuttle run sessions.

Bruce, however, insists it is a necessary evil if his squad is going to launch a promotion push.

Speaking to the club's official website, the Owls boss said: “They all came back in very, very good nick which is pleasing.

“To play consistently in the Championship, you have to be fit and hopefully a good pre-season under everybody's belt will give the players the intensity that we have to work at."

In other news, Wednesday look to have been dealt a blow in the transfer market, after Newcastle United full-back Achraf Lazaar claimed his only plans for the summer are to remain at St. James Park.

Despite injury problems blighting his campaign, the Morocco international showed signs of promise during his loan spell with the club last season, and could have proved a shrewd signing should the Owls have looked to bring him back to Hillsborough.

However, Lazaar turned up at Newcastle’s Benton training ground this morning for pre-season as he looks to impress caretaker coach Neil Redfearn, who is in charge of the preparations after Rafa Benitez left the club.

Lazaar had fallen out of favour under Benitez, but the Spaniard’s departure could signal a possible way back into the fold for Lazaar, who cost the club £5.5million.

Meanwhile, new boys Kadeem Harris and Moses Odubajo – who are yet to be officially announced due to the club's soft transfer embargo – provided some top class entertainment for their team-mates and the club's staff, with some sensational performances of their 'initiation songs'.