Sheffield Wednesday closing in on tenth summer signing – could make training early this week

The Star first reported in June that Wednesday were admirers of Hull City attacker Mallik Wilks and that the 23-year-old was high on the club’s list of transfer priorities as manager Darren Moore set about freshening up a squad that had fallen out of promotion contention at the play-off semi-final stage last season.

In the weeks that have followed the deal has gone back and forth, with Wednesday having agreed outline personal terms with Wilks some time ago, though things have moved on apace in the last few days.

The Star understands a medical was scheduled to take place this weekend and that barring any late hitches to the deal, Wednesday are confident of sealing the deal in the coming days.

It means Wilks could join up with the club early this week with home matches against Rochdale and Forest Green Rovers set for this week.

Hull boss Shota Arveladze told reporters after the Tigers’ 5-2 defeat to West Brom on Saturday that Wilks had told him he wanted to leave the club.

Arveladze told the Hull Daily Mail: “He came and said he wants to leave. That's what he said, so, it was very straight. He's already made his decision to leave. That's the reason he's not here because he says he wants to leave.

Pressed on whether a deal to take Wilks to Wednesday was done, the Georgian said: “I haven't asked, but that's what the player said.

“It is about his decision. I was trying to make things better for him, I played him in some games but he wanted to go. If someone wants to go so much, it is difficult to hold on to them."

Should a deal get done and dusted, the former Leeds United man could become the Owls’ 10th signing of the summer transfer window and would satisfy one of Moore’s remaining transfer priorities – an attacking player – heading into the final throes of the window.

What more business Wednesday look to get done remains to be seen. Moore had hinted that he was looking at bringing ‘one or two’ attacking players in and that the option to bring in a new back-up goalkeeper was also under consideration.