Popular Sheffield Wednesday man opens up on stalled contract talks and offers insight on Owls future

Owls boss Darren Moore has been reluctant to discuss the future of any of the multiple first team players approaching the end of their deals this summer.

The club hold extension clauses over some key names but others, such as all-action utility man Callum Paterson, are less cut-and-dry in terms of what might happen.

The bustling Scot is back from injury to add valuable numbers to the Wednesday squad at a vital time. He was the subject of a public pursuit by Scottish Premiership outfit Hearts back in January, with transfer bids reportedly placed to bring the Scotland international back to Edinburgh sooner.

It is believed Hearts’ interest in Paterson remains and as a free agent option the 28-year-old would surely represent a strong option to EFL clubs also.

Wednesday had entered into talks with Paterson earlier on in the season though these were shelved in the medium-term. The Scot indicated an openness to staying at S6 beyond this summer.

“For me, it’s been on the back burner,” Paterson said on his future. “I’ve been injured and it’s been about getting myself back fit and getting back to help the boys get some points.

“There are five games left, five massive games. I want that promotion on my CV and we’ll see what happens from there.

“It’s easy for me to switch off from everything that’s going on on the outside and it’s a case of football, football, football. It’s a difficult run of games but me and everyone else wants that promotion and that’s our main focus.”

The former Cardiff City man has a young family in Sheffield and is approaching the end of his third season with the club. Asked whether it can be easy to ‘park’ uncertainty over his future to one side, he said: “Football for me is not a job.

“I’m just lucky to be here at the end of the day and whatever happens, happens. I can’t do anything about it aside from give my all every Saturday or Tuesday.

“I’m just focusing on our games. If they go well, then hopefully everything else goes well.”

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