One match separates Sheffield Wednesday and a busy summer rebuild - though there’s so much more yet to be navigated.

Key figures at Sheffield Wednesday have been busy preparing for what will need to be a highly active summer transfer window despite the continued mass uncertainty surrounding what landscape they’ll be operating in.

The recruitment sanctions the Owls will be operating under remain unconfirmed, The Star understands, along with the points deduction level that will go some way to informing what end of League One they operate in next season. Beyond those important factors, the fate of the proposed takeover by US consortium Arise is yet to be completed with Friday’s target date still in place. The identity of a technical or sporting director - who will oversee much of the summer business - is still unknown.

But time is very much of the essence and Wednesday’s lean football operation has been doing its best to prepare regardless of the lack of certainty that surrounds it. Speaking to The Star, Owls boss Henrik Pedersen said: “Again, as in the whole season, we try to control what we can control. I think we have now seen 20, 25 League One games across the coaching team.

“Kevin (Beadell, head of recruitment), he's working in the background with his scouts who watched League One, he’s watched under-21 games, League Two. We try to cover as much as we can to be as well prepared as we can for all the free transfers, but also for the potential of more. If there should be something we can buy players with, we try to do all that we can to be as prepared as possible. But of course, we're looking forward to when the signature is done for the new owners, so we can start that process and execute and to go deeper on everything.”

Wednesday’s unique situation and early relegation has offered time for preparation for the challenges of next season and beyond. Meetings have been undertaken with relevant figures at other clubs and scouting missions have been launched. Ultimately on transfers only so much progress can be made, though it’s clear they’re attempting to push on.

“It's so difficult because we are so early right now,” Pedersen continued. “Many clubs have games to stay in the league, to be promoted. Many clubs have not started to think in the new season yet.

“We can start to think because we are relegated, but we are very, very early. That's why what is in the market right now, it's changed tomorrow, it's changed next week, because then there's more clarity for other clubs. It's changed more in two weeks, then there's more clarity. The market will change so much, so we have to be up to date every day and we have to follow all that we can so we are as prepared as possible.”