Popular Sheffield Wednesday man makes brutally honest admission on paused contract talks

Owls owner Dejphon Chansiri told The Star earlier this month that contract talks with Wednesday’s soon-to-be out-of-contract players were on ice for now, with all focus at the club on achieving promotion after relegation last season.

The likes of Massimo Luongo, Sam Hutchinson and Nathaniel Mendez-Laing are all believed to be out of contract at the end of the current campaign.

His current deal runs out in the summer, with a extension to be triggered in the case of promotion and if Hunt hits a requisite number of appearances

Hunt, who had a successful first spell with the club before a three-year stint at Bristol City, made clear he would like to continue his career at Hillsborough regardless of whether or not the club achieves promotion.

He said: “It was well documented I didn’t want to leave and so when I came back I felt as though there was a little bit of unfinished business there.

“If we don’t go up this season I will still hold in my heart the fact I want to get the club back to the Championship.”

Asked about his love affair with a club he has now played 139 matches for across two spells, he admitted that while he sees his future at S6, he spoke honestly about the need for clarity in his future.

“It’s a place I have felt most settled and arguably the happiest in my career,” Hunt told The Star.

“I played nine seasons in the Championship so for me there is always that thought of going back to the Championship maybe and having another season there. I see a career with 10 seasons in the Championship as something to be proud of.

“I would like to do that with Sheffield Wednesday, but I’m also realistic about my own targets and my own career and if Sheffield Wednesday don’t want to talk about a contract then I’ve got to think about myself and my family moving forward.

“That’s all obviously out of my hands. All I can do is have an opinion on it.”

Asked about the feeling among the soon-to-be out-of-contract players, Hunt admitted the radio silence on their future was less than ideal, though they understand the reasons.

“In an ideal world everyone would like the conversations to start being had,” he continued “But we also know that we’re professionals and we’ve got a task to do.

“I signed a one-year contract to get Sheffield Wednesday promoted, I’ll fight all the way and hopefully we can do that.

“It’s been said in the past that contracts got left late and if people were left in limbo performances might dip. I’m not saying they will, but it’s natural that performances might dip in individuals if their mind is elsewhere.

“I had the experience for the first time in my career last season at Bristol where it was a case of ‘keep playing, keep playing and we’ll talk at the end of the season.’ It wasn’t ideal if I’m being perfectly honest.

“But when it’s not in your hands you can’t do anything about it.”