Sheffield Wednesday contract latest a month after youth retained list

The Owls’ youngsters enjoyed a solid season in 2023/24, finishing third in both the U21 and U18 Professional Development Leagues as they narrowly missed out on a spot in the top two. There have also been a number of first team debuts by academy youngsters over the course of the campaign.

It was revealed – as per The Star’s prior reports – that the likes of Adam Alimi-Adetoro, Luke Cook, Jay Glover and Luke Jackson would all be released when their contracts expire at the end of this month, while the club also explained that the same would go for U18s players, Tyrell Dawes and Carlos Rodrigues.

Jay Buchan, Cian Flannery, Favour Onukwuli, Joey Phuthi and Sam Reed – from the U21s – all had options exercised, while eight others were offered new contracts to stay at Middlewood Road having impressed over the last 12 months or so.

One of those eight, Gabriel Otegbayo, has already been announced to have extended his stay, but what about the other seven? Here’s what we know so far…

For the U18s, The Star understands that Reece Johnson and Jarvis Thornton have both agreed personal terms on new deals and – as things stand – are set to pen their first professional contract at the club after years of climbing up the youth ranks.

It’s unknown at this point where things are at with regards to Bruno Fernandes, Jack Phillips and Devlan Moses, who have also been offered professional terms, however the hope is that their deals can also get wrapped up as well.

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Meanwhile, at U21 level, the same can be said for Jack Hall and Mackenzie Maltby as they look to continue their progress at S6 and push to try and forge a career for themselves in blue and white. Both have impressed at youth level for the club.

Work is ongoing at Middlewood Road at the moment ahead of the return of the seniors and academy players in a few weeks’ time, and many of them will be seeing this summer as an opportunity given that a number of them will get time with Danny Röhl and the first team as the Owls boss finalises moves to bolster his squad before the 2024/25 campaign.