Premier League side chasing £16m ex-Sheffield Wednesday talent who left for nothing - report
A former Sheffield Wednesday player who left the club on a free transfer is the subject of a big-money pursuit by a Premier League talent factory, according to widespread reports.
Fisayo Dele-Bashiru joined the Owls as a teenager from Manchester City and made 86 appearances for the club before leaving at the end of his contract in the summer of 2023. His last touch of the ball in a Wednesday shirt was in the build-up to Josh Windass’ memorable winner at Wembley in the League One play-off final.
Now a Nigerian international of 16 caps, Dele-Bashiru has since gone on to play for Hatayspor in Turkey and after one season joined Italian giants Lazio in a loan-to-buy deal worth somewhere in the region of £5m. His progress in Rome has caught the attention of big clubs in the last couple of seasons and suggestions in the national media and abroad are that Premier League Bournemouth are intent on bringing him back to England in a deadline day deal.
Reports in Italy suggest negotiations are taking place over a £1m loan deal, with an obligation to buy clause set at somewhere in the region of £15m.
The circumstances of Dele-Bashiru’s exit from Hillsborough were shrouded in controversy, with the general feeling that the latter months of his time with the club could have been handled better all-round. Wednesday offered the youngster a new contract as per that summer’s retained list but it was swiftly passed-up. He started just one of his final 16 outings under Darren Moore and his exit came as no surprise.
At a fan forum sometime after Dele-Bashiru’s move away from Wednesday, then-chairman Dejphon Chansiri chose to ridicule reports by The Star that the powerful midfielder was being monitored by major European clubs. Months later he was a Lazio player.