Henrik Pedersen can unleash a new Sheffield Wednesday midfield for the first time vs West Brom
Will Grainger will be hoping to play his way into Sheffield Wednesday’s starting XI against West Bromwich Albion on Saturday.
The penultimate week of the 2025/26 season might be one Sheffield Wednesday youngster Will Grainger looks back on with a smile in years to come.
After starting it by donning the captain’s armband and scoring two goals to help Wednesday’s Under-21s bring their Professional Development League campaign to an end with a 3-0 win over Crewe Alexandra at Hillsborough, it ended by him throwing his arms up in the air in front of a sun-drenched away end at the Kassam Stadium.
Introduced after 66 minutes, replacing Charlie McNeill, Grainger, six minutes later, was celebrating his first goal of his senior career. Receiving a pass from Nathaniel Chalobah, the 17-year-old opened his body up and curled a lovely effort into the top corner.
Becoming the second-youngest goalscorer in the Championship this season in the process, Grainger’s maiden goal of his senior career justified an increasing number of calls that have been made in recent weeks for him to be awarded more minutes by Wednesday manager Henrik Pedersen.
Three days prior to the 4-1 defeat to Oxford United, Grainger stored 22 minutes under his belt in the Owls’ slender 1-0 defeat to Middlesbrough at the Riverside. Unlucky not to open his Wednesday account that night, the Wales youth international offered flashes of what he can bring to the table.
Just over 48 hours prior to making his fourth substitute appearance in the Championship this season against Boro, Grainger offered more evidence, albeit to a much smaller audience, of what he can bring to a Wednesday side that has been devoid of flair and creativity this season.
It is always important to remember the gulf between U21s football and the main stage when analysing any player’s performance at youth level, meaning you must tread carefully not to overhype the individual and apply any unnecessary pressure, but this reporter walked away from Hillsborough a-week-last-Monday having compared Grainger to Josh Windass in his colour piece.
Occasionally, U21s fixtures produce individual performances that leave lasting impacts. Grainger’s display against Crewe, which featured two goals and an assist, made it impossible to walk away from Hillsborough without feeling slightly excited about this young man’s future.
Comparing him to former Wednesday man Windass in my match report felt like a big statement, and it wasn’t one I took lightly. However, so many elements of Grainger’s performance immediately triggered flashbacks of the Owls’ Wembley hero dropping between the lines, lifting his head, wanting to receive the ball to feet, making intelligent runs and carrying a goal threat.
Grainger translated some of those traits he had displayed against Crewe’s youngsters to the big stage against Middlesbrough and Oxford, being praised for his intelligence and awareness in his cameo at the Riverside before being saluted for bringing the same qualities and a goal to the table at the Kassam Stadium.
At just 17, it is important not to pile too much pressure on young shoulders too soon. But with minimal pressure on Wednesday heading into Saturday’s clash with West Bromwich Albion, what is the worst that can happen if Grainger is to be rewarded with his first senior start?
With Svante Ingelsson once again unavailable through injury, Grainger is a prime candidate to start in the No.10 role and offer the link between the midfield and the attack that Windass so often provided. Wednesday, more often than not, have lined up with a three-man midfield this season, and a trio of Jaden Heskey, Chalobah and Grainger, on paper at least, looks as though it could offer a balanced midfield blend.
Chalobah, renowned for his defensive work, could be partnered by Heskey, who is morphing into a modern day box-to-box midfield operator, while Grainger could operate just ahead of them at the tip of the midfield triangle.
Playing just behind Devlan Moses when Wednesday’s U21s brushed Crewe aside last week, Grainger appeared to be well-versed in the attacking-midfield role, constantly demanding the ball to feet and scanning the game.
With the season finale against West Brom, all being well, poised to mark the beginning of a new chapter in Wednesday’s history, Pedersen has the chance to offer Wednesdayites another glimpse into the future by unleashing one of the club’s most exciting prospects.