Sheffield Wednesday's stance on Iké Ugbo's future amid loan question
Iké Ugbo’s time as a permanent Sheffield Wednesday player has so far failed to work out.
Sheffield Wednesday manager Henrik Pedersen has refused to rule out the possibility of striker Iké Ugbo leaving the club this month - but he is of the understanding he has not been made available for a loan exit.
The striker has experienced a difficult time since returning to Wednesday on a permanent basis from French club Troyes in August 2024, scoring just two goals in 59 appearances in all competitions.
Wednesday, following the success of Ugbo’s loan at Hillsborough in the second half of the 2023/24 campaign, swooped for him on a permanent basis, confident he would deliver the goals they needed from their first-choice striker. However, he has failed to score a single league goal since becoming a permanent resident at Hillsborough.
Ugbo, 27, is currently sidelined because of a hamstring complaint that has forced him to miss each of the last six matches. His last outing came as a substitute in the Owls’ 3-1 defeat to Ipswich Town at Portman Road on December 20.
Wednesday are aware of mounting interest in a few of their players ahead of the January transfer window closing in a fortnight’s time, with captain Barry Bannan’s future suddenly having been thrown into doubt. A cluster of Championship clubs and two clubs in Scotland have registered interest in him.
Max Lowe, too, is also understood to have attracted interest from Rangers earlier this month. The Scottish outfit are, of course, managed by former Owls boss Danny Röhl.
Pedersen gives update on Ugbo’s future
Although clubs, with respect, are unlikely to be queuing up for Ugbo amid his struggles since the beginning of last season, Pedersen has been unable to offer assurances of what the future could hold for him beyond the 7pm deadline on February 2.
Asked if there is a chance Ugbo could leave this month, Pedersen told The Star: “I don't know. There is, like for Barry, like for Max, like for other players, interest and there could also be interest for Ugbo.
“But let's take this step by step. Right now, I cannot say that he's on the way out. Right now he is with us and he is doing all what he can to be fit again.”
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Asked if he has been made available for loan, Pedersen replied: “I don’t think so.”
The Canadian international played a starring role in helping Wednesday, who agreed to pay Troyes the transfer fee in instalments, beat the drop in 2023/24, scoring seven goals to help the club complete a successful survival mission, meaning the club’s decision to sign him on a permanent basis was fully merited.
However, his permanent switch to S6, unfortunately, has failed to work out to this point. It is understood the striker signed a four-year deal at Hillsborough, keeping him at the club until the summer of 2028.