Possible reason ex-Owls are still clubless is costing Sheffield Wednesday thousands

But weeks after free agent activity was confirmed up and down the EFL, some 64 days on from the announcement that Jordan Rhodes was signed up to a three-year contract at Huddersfield Town, their wait – seemingly – goes on.

Where some may look on and suggest the signing of players who disappointed in their last season-and-a-half with Sheffield Wednesday may well struggle to secure a new club, it is perhaps just as likely EFL financial rules are delaying the confirmation of deals.

The standard rules in an EFL contract mean clubs must pay their outgoing out of contract players one month’s ‘severance pay’, a month’s wages beyond the end of their contract, most of which expire at the end of June.

In the instance that a player signs for a new club before that month is up, that club must also pay any shortfall in the player’s pay packet. For example, if as expected Rhodes is being paid less at Huddersfield than he was at Wednesday, the Owls are currently paying the difference in July.

It’s a quirk of the rules that in these financially tight times that could well encourage clubs to wait until that time is elapsed to register and announce a signing.

With players not losing out financially, why would clubs essentially volunteer to pay an extra month’s wages to an incoming player even if a deal is agreed? Don’t be surprised if a number of deals at several clubs are announced at the start of August.