Our Sheffield Wednesday writing team choose nine potential transfer targets for the summer re-build

We know that Steven Fletcher and Morgan Fox are two players the manager wishes to keep at the club, with the futures of Fernando Forestieri, Kieran Lee, Sam Hutchinson, Atdhe Nuhiu, Sam Winnall and Joey Pelupessy all up in the air.

Jacob Murphy, Alessio Da Cruz, David Bates, Josh Windass and Connor Wickham are on loan and have contracts coming to an end next month.

Monk has driven at his desire for a younger, fresher, hungrier Wednesday outfit heading into the next campaign and money isn’t flush, with wage outlay understood to be on the cut list as the club attempt to steer their way out of the FFP danger zone.

But who should the Wednesday recruitment team be looking at in terms of who to bring in? What areas need strengthening? Our Owls writing team of Joe Crann, Alex Miller and Chris Holt offer up a trio of names – some more ambitious than others – that they’d target in the coming weeks.

Joe Crann – @YesWeCrann

Jordan Hugill – West Ham United

Hugill has proven his Championship pedigree over the last two seasons with 17 league goals for Middlesbrough and Queens Park Rangers, scoring 13 times in all competitions in 2019/20 for QPR while out on his latest loan spell from West Ham. A permanent move is probably unlikely for SWFC due to the fee, but a loan move for the 27-year-old could be feasible if the Hammers aren’t looking to integrate the striker into their first team.

Kamohelo Mokotjo – Brentford

The South African international will see his contract at Brentford expire at the end of the season, and there’s still been no talk of whether he will be extending. He’s a very tidy defensive midfielder with a real eye for a pass and an incredibly calm state of mind. Has experience in the top-flight in the Netherlands and one of the highest pass-completion rates in the Championship.

Michael Ihiekwe – Rotherham United

The 27-year-old centre back has been tipped to clean up at the Millers’ end-of-season awards and has been a key component of their push for promotion back into the Championship. He’s among the top performers in League One and is a good age at 27. No stranger to Yorkshire, but the cost could depend on whether Rotherham go up or not.

Alex Miller – @AlexMiller91

Niclas Eliasson – Bristol City

A-1. Top of the list. If a deal can be done to get Eliasson in, Wednesday should tug on those strings as hard as they can – his contract is up this summer. In and out of the Bristol City side, there are question marks over his reliability at key moments, but the fact is that no-one has more Championship assists than the winger. Lively and pacey, he can operate from the right, offering balance on the opposite side to Kadeem Harris and would arrive with a point to prove. Only 24, too.

Lyle Taylor – Charlton Athletic

Available on a free transfer this summer, Lyle Taylor is a name that’s been linked with Sheffield Wednesday before. At 30, he’s not the spring chicken that Garry Monk has described as an ideal core to the side, but can be a real handful. Took on Wednesday on his own in the Owls’ 1-0 win at Hillsborough in February and played with real determination. He’s the main man at Charlton and there’ll be competition for his signature.

Ethan Ampadu – Chelsea

Hear me out on this one. Out on loan currently with German side RB Leipzig, Ampadu comes with a burgeoning reputation and would add a bit of class in the Wednesday midfield. Any battle for his loan signature would be fierce of course, but the offer of a full season in one of the biggest clubs in the Championship may be one Chelsea would consider. The 19-year-old has 13 international caps and could be parachuted in to learn a thing or two from Barry Bannan. Maybe. Are you reading, Frank?

Chris Holt – @HoltChris

Ben Whiteman – Doncaster Rovers

A box-to-box midfielder with a growing reputation, Whiteman has been central to a successful first season at Doncaster for Darren Moore. South Yorkshire location may give Wednesday an advantage in the race for a player that would be sought after if he was to become available. Rovers have lost big players in the last few months and will no doubt be keen to keep hold of him in a tilt at promotion next time out.

Cauley Woodrow – Barnsley

A tally of 15 goals in a side likely to be relegated is an impressive effort for anyone and Woodrow has been a leading light for Barnsley all year. He has operated in a number of positions and would come with a point to prove having fallen from a high pedestal at Fulham as a youngster. Only 25, he would fit Monk’s profile but would likely come towards the top end of the Owls’ spending capabilities.

Harry Souttar – Stoke

A victim of Stoke’s heaving post-Premier League squad, Souttar has spent the last three seasons on loan, impressing at first Ross County and then in back-to-back seasons at Fleetwood Town. A strong and talented centre-half, the Scottish-born Australian international may well want to make his name at a big Championship club having proven he can cut it lower down, though a contract expiry of 2022 would likely see a fee involved.