Sheffield Wednesday are hoping to try and wrap up a deal to sign Japanese defender, Ryo Hatsuse, this week – but they aren’t the only ones keen.

The Star reported earlier this month that the 27-year-old full back had been spending a bit of time training with the Owls as Danny Röhl took a closer look at him during the January transfer window, and the German has since gone on to say that he’s liked what he’s seen of him.

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Hatsuse is no longer with Wednesday at their training base at Middlewood Road, but it’s understood that negotiations are ongoing as Röhl looks to add him to his ranks at Hillsborough ahead of their final 17 games of the 2024/25 campaign.

It’s thought that the hope is that something could be finalised by the end of the week if all goes to plan, however other clubs are said to be sniffing around the Vissel Kobe defender as he nears the end of his current contract with the J1 League champions. He will officially be a free agent come February 1st.

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The Star is led to believe that Röhl and his staff have been impressed by the left back, who is ambipedal, as he weighs up his options for new arrivals before the end of the month, and that all parties are eager for him to be donning blue and white stripes this season.

With time ticking on, however, there is bound to be conversations held elsewhere given that he will soon be a free agent, and if the Owls don’t want to miss out on the Japanese youth international then they may need to move quickly over the next few days.