Sheffield Wednesday: The three keys areas the Owls must strengthen this summer

For Sheffield Wednesday, a big summer lies ahead.
Will Joost van Aken be brought back into the fold?Will Joost van Aken be brought back into the fold?
Will Joost van Aken be brought back into the fold?

After the best part of four years with a sizeable core of similar players, the Owls squad is in need of a makeover this summer according to boss Steve Bruce.

Bruce acted rapidly to release six members of his first-team squad, just hours after the full time whistle had blown on the Owls' final game of the season.

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The chances are that Wednesday will add six or seven new faces this summer in a bid to freshen up the squad and provide it with more energy.

Wednesday have lacked an ont-and-out winger since the departure of Jeremy HelanWednesday have lacked an ont-and-out winger since the departure of Jeremy Helan
Wednesday have lacked an ont-and-out winger since the departure of Jeremy Helan

But where exactly do Wednesday need to strengthen their armoury?

Here, we have picked out the three main areas that Bruce could do with bolstering this summer...

CENTRE-BACK

With Player of the Season Michael Hector now having returned to Chelsea following the expiry of his season-long loan deal, Wednesday are short on numbers in the heart of their defence.

Will Matt Penney get a chance to impress at left back?Will Matt Penney get a chance to impress at left back?
Will Matt Penney get a chance to impress at left back?
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Club captain Tom Lees, Jordan Thorniley and forgotten man Joost van Aken are Wednesday's only recognisable centre halves. The Owls are in desperate need of bolstering the centre back positions, especially when Dutchman van Aken is so often hampered by injuries.

Wednesday want to bring Hector back and are understood to have secured a deal to sign German centre-back Julian Borner.

But even if Wednesday do get the Borner deal over the line - taking their centre back tally to four - they, ideally, could still do with one more.

LEFT-BACK

For several seasons now, Wednesday have lacked a consistent left back.

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Ever since Daniel Pudil made the switch across to centre back mid-way through the 2017/18 season, Wednesday have struggled in the left-back berth, with Morgan Fox struggling for consistency and Matt Penney missing the second half of last season through injury.

Achraf Lazaar was brought in on loan from Newcastle United to help ease the problem but he quickly became a victim of Wednesday's injury curse and made just four appearances.

Bruce may wish to offer Penney the opportunity to showcase his talents in the left back berth, but you would think that Bruce will have highlighted it as a key area he wishes to upgrade in this summer's transfer window.

OUT WIDE

Pace, pace and more pace. That is what the Owls desperately need this summer.

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Ever since Jeremy Helan decided to call time on his footballing career in September 2016, Wednesday had nobody that could offer them a sense of raw pace until Rolando Aarons arrived on loan back in January.

It has been a noticeable absentee in Wednesday's squad, especially out wide, and Bruce knows only too well that he needs to embed some speed into his side.

No wingers have been linked with moves to Hillsborough so far this summer but the likelihood of Bruce not having any targets lined up to bolster the wide positions is extremely unlikely.

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