Sheffield Wednesday transfer blow as promotion winner 'keen to leave' with Championship 'interest'

Sheffield Wednesday could lose experienced defender Michael Ihiekwe this month amid reports of Championship and League One interest.

Ihiekwe has fallen down the pecking order at Hillsborough since helping Wednesday return to the Championship in 2022/23. Fitness issues have not helped matters and the 32-year-old has started just three league games so far this season, none of which have come since the end of September.

The defender has only made one appearance since that start in a 3-2 home win over West Brom, replacing Gabriel Otegbayo at half-time on Saturday as Wednesday went out of the FA Cup on penalties against Coventry City. But that is not thought to have changed January plans with Football Insider reporting he is ‘keen to leave’ Wednesday.

The report claims Ihiekwe is ‘ready for a new challenge’, having helped Wednesday climb from League One to the Championship during a successful two-and-a-half-year spell. Several teams from both divisions are thought to have made enquiries over the centre-back’s availability.

Wednesday are said to be ‘open’ to a January exit for Ihiekwe, who has often been absent from the matchday squad entirely. The defender’s contract length has never actually been confirmed and so it is unclear how long is left on his deal going into January.

McNeil loan interest

Alongside Ihiekwe, there is also thought to be interest in Charlie McNeill and the Star understands Wednesday will not be short of options, should they sanction a loan exit this month. The former Manchester United prospect has shown plenty of promise since arriving in South Yorkshire over the summer but competition in attack is fierce and recent matchday absences would suggest he is out of favour.

That Star understands a host of clubs in League One and in the Scottish Premiership have expressed an interest in taking McNeil on loan for the rest of the season. It remains to be seen whether a temporary move will be sanctioned for the 21-year-old but speaking ahead of Saturday’s FA Cup clash, Danny Röhl gave his verdict.

“We improve players and now they play on a good level,” the Owls boss said on McNeill. “This is the reason I took Charlie in the summer, he needs now more minutes. He needs this, let's see. He is playing now in the 10 position, especially in a 5-2-3, his best position is the 10 position and it's not really available. These are all the things we must make a decision on.”

Wednesday transfer latest

Röhl has made clear his desire to sign ‘big impact’ players this month as Wednesday look to build on an impressive first half of the campaign, and so reports of a bid for Brisbane Roar striker Thomas Waddingham came as a surprise. The Star understands, however, that no formal offer has been lodged for the 19-year-old and it is unclear what level of interest there is.

There are also considerations being made as to where Pierce Charles might spend the next six months, with the Northern Ireland international firmly behind James Beadle in the pecking order. A temporary move away could provide regular football for the promising 19-year-old, who played the full 120 minutes and penalty shootout on Saturday.