Sheffield Wednesday: Owls reportedly hit stumbling block in bid to sign Sunderland midfielder Lee Cattermole

The 31-year-old’s wage demands are apparently too much for the Owls to justify a move for the Black Cats man.

Cattermole has been linked with a move to Wednesday before and has previously worked with Steve Bruce both at Sunderland and former club Wigan Athletic.

And the tough tackling midfielder still has two years left on his contract at the Stadium of Light, so wages wouldn’t be the only money Wednesday would have to think about to bag their man.

Reports in the Shields Gazette suggest that Sunderland will have to trim their wage bill however, as their failure to secure promotion to the Championship means another season in the third tier.

Cattermole is said to be one of the higher earners at the club, having dropped down the divisions with them from the Premier League.

He made 32 league appearances for Sunderland last season as Jack Ross’s side reached the play-off final and the Checkatrade Trophy final but were defeated by Charlton and Portsmouth respectively.

Steve Bruce admitted that he was looking for “fresh, young legs” and said Wednesday would need to “box clever” with any transfer business this summer, so whether Cattermole fits that profile is debatable.