Sheffield Wednesday stance on Svante Ingelsson transfer made crystal clear - injury specialist booked
Injured Sheffield Wednesday midfielder Svante Ingelsson is the subject of interest from several Championship clubs.
Sheffield Wednesday boss Henrik Pedersen has made crystal clear his stance on the potential exit of fan favourite Svante Ingelsson heading into the summer. The Star reported this week that the Swede is the subject of serious, fresh interest from Stoke City as the Owls prepare for a rebuild from League One, with a number of clubs believed to have retained interest from months previous.
The Owls knocked back bids from Millwall and Portsmouth in January, with Ingelsson having expressed a desire to stay on at S6 partly due to personal circumstances. While his two-year contract with the club is up this summer, Wednesday do hold an extension clause that would mean any club wanting to take him would have to negotiate a transfer fee.
“He has to play for Sheffield Wednesday next season,” Pedersen said with a wry smile. “He has to be a Sheffield Wednesday player in the future, so we have to do all that we can to keep him. I know he loves to be here, and we'll be a good place for him in the future, but of course we'll do everything to keep him.”
Asked whether he has already had conversations with his fellow Scandinavian around his future, Pedersen said: “Of course I have. And he knows how important he is for me, for us, for the club, and he also knows that we will do what we can to keep him.”
Ingelsson has missed the Owls’ last two outings with a knee issue that may require a small surgery. Pedersen already ruled him out of this weekend’s trip to Oxford United but lingering hopes remain he can play some part in the end of season celebration outing at a sold-out Hillsborough - when they play West Brom on May 2.
“We meet a specialist on Tuesday, where they will make the decision,” the Dane continued. “He has his own programme right now, so he trains as much as possible for control, and then he will meet a specialist on Tuesday and then they will decide what they are doing.
“Of course, it would be very disappointing for him, but we cannot make any risk with Svante, he's such an important player for us, and we have to find out 100 per cent so we don't go into any risk for him.”