Plan revealed as Sheffield Wednesday man commits future to Owls

The 20-year-old, who has captained the Owls’ U23s and made his Wednesday debut in the Papa John’s Trophy last season, is season as one for the future my Moore and his technical team, and this week it was confirmed that he’d committed his immediate future to the club.

Moore, as a former centre back himself, will have plenty to teach the young former Southampton defender, and he says that the player will be spending time with the senior tanks at Middlewood Road as part of his continued progression through the ranks.

Speaking to The Star this week, the Owls boss explained, “We’ll have him in training and around the first team because in terms of where he’s at, he needs it… He needs to be up against the likes of Josh (Windass), Greggers (Lee Gregory) and Pato (Callum Paterson), because they’ll test him.

“We’ll look at him in terms of whether a loan would give him some frontline football where he could get half a season on loan, maybe get 20 or so games in, and that will put some power in him, help his understanding and help him grow.”

And it’s clear that Agbontohoma is part of the club’s long-term plans as they look to use their academy graduates more going forward – but it may be that he needs some time away in order to try and reach his potential.

“We’re very much looking at David as a possible future centre back here at the club,” Moore said. “But his development is key. So he’ll come back in with us, and get up to speed. I’ll get him around the seniors, which will aid his development. We might keep him in the first half of the season and then send him out on loan, that might be for his development going forward.”

Agbontohoma joined Wednesday after leaving the Saints last summer, and has impressed when he’s been called upon, and his new deal means that there should be more to come from the young central defender.

MORE: Why Smith and Ihiekwe were missing for Wednesday at Hillsborough