Sheffield Wednesday provide Mallik Wilks update after attacker’s long absence

The 24-year-old hasn’t featured for Wednesday since the win over Accrington Stanley back in April, and he had a disjointed preseason after undergoing surgery that same more that required time to heal.

In recent weeks he’s been working hard to get back though after opting against a move before the transfer window closed as he sought to fight for his place at Hillsborough, and this month he made a long-awaited return to the pitch as he turned out for the U21s against Charlton Athletic.

Now, with that under his belt and some good training sessions to follow, the Owls boss says that he’s in contention to get back out there for the senior team.

“Every day he is more close,” he told The Star. “He’s working very hard every day, but he didn’t have a preseason because he’s been injured in the time that I’ve been here. Now we need to understand the moment.

“I was there the other day to watch him in the U21s, I checked how he played… If somebody is sleeping in the squad, or in the first XI, he’s ready to play - that’s something we spoke in preseason about.

“I don’t know if he can play 90 minutes, in the U21s he only played 65 or 70 minutes, but this week he’s worked very hard and maybe in the next one, or the next games, he can come in. We need him, but the most important thing is that he keeps working the way he’s working. It’s good for the team if he’s 100% when the team needs him.”

It remains to be seen, though, whether he will make the trip to Swansea City this weekend, with Wednesday still in search of their first three points in the Championship.