Sheffield Wednesday’s free agent deadline as Owls weigh-up new addition
Sheffield Wednesday have been given the green light to sign a free agent following Yan Valery’s exit, but there is a deadline.
This season has been one to forget for Wednesdayites, with the club on the brink of being officially relegated and without a win since back in September. The drop to League One could be officially confirmed this weekend.
Henrik Pedersen has been able to add to his squad in fits and starts over the course of the season, with every move having to be ratified by the English Football League given the fact that the club remains under embargo and bound by transfer fee restrictions.
As things stand they have been given permission to replace Valery following his move to Young Boys in Switzerland outside the English transfer window, with Zain Silcott-Duberry having been training with the club, but a decision on him is yet to be made.
There is a free agent deadline for Sheffield Wednesday
Speaking after his side’s 2-1 defeat to Millwall on Saturday, Pedersen told The Star: “We have not made any decision now, we have seen him three days in training, and now we have this game behind us, we'll make a decision on what we will do.
Wednesday don’t need to rush, per se, but they don’t have an unlimited amount of time to add to their ranks. As per the EFL’s regulations, “Where any new registration or transfer of a Player is received by The League after 5pm on the fourth Thursday in March in each Season, that Player will not be eligible to play in any match organised by The League in that Season.” The only exception are emergency goalkeeper loans.
Further guidance is also offered, which states, “The fourth Thursday in March is the traditional ‘transfer deadline day’ and remains in place to ensure Clubs cannot add to their squad for the final remaining fixtures of a Season thus impacting on the integrity of the competition in those final stages…
“Academy Players will not be caught by this restriction in respect of non-first team matches. However, Clubs will not be permitted to register an Academy Player after this date and then utilise him in League matches.”
Pedersen may instead opt to use the players he already has on the club’s books, giving more opportunities to youngsters, especially with Wednesday preparing for a season in the third tier of English football with no guarantees of a new owner being in place just yet.