Who is Southampton-owned Sheffield Wednesday target Josh Sims and what would he offer the Owls?

Garry Monk has refused to rule his Sheffield Wednesday out of the running to sign highly-rated Southampton winger Josh Sims on loan in January, admitting his name was one that had been discussed in recruitment meetings.
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The Saints flyer is the latest top-tier youngster to have been linked with the Hillsborough club, with the likes of Arsenal’s Eddie Nketiah and Liverpool’s Rhian Brewster reportedly chased in recent weeks.

But who is he and what would he offer the Owls? Let’s take a look.

Who is Josh Sims?

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Aged 22, Josh Sims is a product of the highly-regarded Southampton academy, having been signed as a 14-year-old in 2011.

Born in Yeovil and raised in Gillingham, the youngster is primarily a winger that operates from the right-hand side.

What’s he done?

Identified at an early age as a player of huge potential, Sims quickly found himself selected for England youth sides and won the European Championship with their under-17s in 2014.

Southampton's Josh Sims has been linked with a January loan move to Sheffield Wednesday.Southampton's Josh Sims has been linked with a January loan move to Sheffield Wednesday.
Southampton's Josh Sims has been linked with a January loan move to Sheffield Wednesday.

In November 2016 he was handed his Premier League debut, bagging his first assist within seconds by crossing for Charlie Austin’s opener against Everton.

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He remained a part of the Southampton first team and made his European debut in the December, featuring against Hapoel Be’er Sheva and served up the assist for Shane Long’s winner as the Saints nipped past Liverpool to qualify for the 2017 League Cup final.

He spent the first half of last season on loan at Reading, where he impressed in 17 senior appearances, recalled by Southampton where he played seven times throughout the rest of the campaign.

Another loan followed at the start of this season, this time a short-term move to New York Red Bulls, where where he made an impact across seven performances.

He has made seven Premier League appearances this season, starting twice.

What style of play does he offer?

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Blessed with lightning pace, creativity and the ability to cross the ball, Sims is highly regarded as a hard worker who contributes defensively – a big plus for a Garry Monk side.

His final product is a work in progress and Sims is relatively goal-shy for such an offensive player – he is yet to score a goal at senior level.