Sheffield Wednesday hopeful of beating Birmingham City to signing of highly-rated Premier League goalkeeper

Brighton & Hove Albion youngster James Beadle was revealed to be a Wednesday target by The Star some weeks ago having enjoyed a stellar campaign on loan with League One Oxford United. The 19-year-old England youth international has played 25 times for the promotion-challenging Yellows and was left out of their matchday squad for yesterday's FA Cup defeat to Coventry City.

The Star is led to believe that the youngster, a former pupil of Owls goalkeeper coach Sal Bibbo during his time with Brighton, is being lined up for a potential recall by the Seagulls to make a switch to the Championship. Beadle signed a fresh long-term contract with Brighton earlier this week.

Wednesday relegation rivals Birmingham City are among the other clubs reported to have shown an interest in taking Beadle on loan in this window along with Bristol City. It is understood the Owls have been in positive discussions with Brighton over a potential deal and that if all goes well a loan switch until the end of the season could go through in the next week, with Devis Vasquez's return to AC Milan providing a moving part in the scenario.

It comes after an admission from Wednesday boss Danny Röhl that existing loanee Vasquez could leave the club having not played a minute of action under the German while playing understudy to Cameron Dawson, man of the match in the Owls' FA Cup win over Cardiff City on Saturday evening. The Colombian was spotted at Hillsborough despite having not been named in the matchday squad for the weekend's cup clash, with Röhl admitting 'a decision will be made' in the next few days on Vasquez's future.

Röhl was coy when asked by The Star of the likelihood of Beadle's transfer but made clear the club will be looking to bring in a goalkeeper should the exit of Vasquez be signed and sealed. "Yeah, for sure," he said. "We need this. The final decision is until now not made. We have something in our mind and let's have a look what happens in the beginning of next week. I am looking forward to this and we will go forward." He added: "I will not speak about names but I think we will have a good sign."

Quizzed on Beadle's absence from the Oxford line-up over the weekend, head coach Des Buckingham said: "It’s a sign, but we’ve got things in hand with James. I can’t speak more on it at the moment, but there’s nothing done with him in that space yet. We’re covered should anything in that space move."