What Sheffield Wednesday boss Garry Monk said about Steven Fletcher ‘transfer conspiracy’ as he offers update on top scorer's fitness

Fletcher has missed Wednesday’s last three games and rumours circulating on social media had suggested the 12-goal forward was being held back in order to safeguard a January move away from Hillsborough – possibly to promotion rivals West Brom.

But speaking ahead of a New Year’s Day clash with Hull City, Monk couldn’t have been clearer in his denial of any ulterior motive behind his absence.

Speaking to The Star, he chuckled: “One hundred per cent, no. That’s a conspiracy that needs to be put well away. He’s genuinely been ill.

“We’ve missed him as well, of course we have. A player in that type of form and scoring you goals, of course you’re going to miss that.

“But he’s been back out on the pitches and he’ll be back out in a Sheffield Wednesday shirt as soon as possible.”

Quite how soon that will be remains to be seen, however. The Scotland international lost notable weight during the illness and is still touch and go for the Hull game.

“He's out on the training pitches and we've got another training session today,” Monk said.

“When you've had an illness or a virus like that, you have to go off the player and how he feels. But he's been out training all week.

“We've got another training today and if there's no reaction as there has been so far so he'll be up for selection in the squad.”

In an increasingly stretched squad, midfield man Massimo Luongo is in a similar position after a head injury that forced him off in the Boxing Day defeat at Stoke.

Monk said: “It wasn't concussion or anything like that but he felt groggy within himself. He's been out on the training pitches.

“It's similar to Fletch in that you go day to day and hopefully you don't get a reaction.”

Fernando Forestieri, Keiren Westwood and Liam Palmer are out of contention with a knee, shoulder and ankle injury respectively.