The Owls are continuing their busy summer recruitment drive

Sheffield Wednesday are closing in on their 10th summer signing in attacker Tommi O’Reilly from Aston Villa.

The 22-year-old, who impressed on loan at Crewe in League Two last season, is now reportedly in advanced talks to join The Owls on a season loan, an understanding shared by The Star.

If the deal gets over the line, O’Reilly would become the third Villa player to join Wednesday this summer after Sil Swinkels and Louie Barry.

Let’s take a look at what he would bring...

CAREER SO FAR

O’Reilly came through the Villa academy from the age of nine, going on to captain the under-21s as he progressed through the ranks, making his first-team debut in December 2023 in a Europa Conference League tie clash against HŠK Zrinjski. He has also had loan spells at Shrewsbury Town, MK Dons and Real Unión in Spain, although those loans don’t appear to have been massively successful. He has featured in Villa’s matchday squad several times but is yet to make his Premier League debut.

BREAKTHROUGH SEASON

His breakthrough season came last term at Crewe, where he scored seven goals and provided 13 assists in 50 appearances. Crewe’s fans voted him their Player of the Season and he also claimed the Players’ Player of the Year.

‘NO CHANCE’

Unsurprisingly, Crewe manager Lee Bell said he would ‘snap your hand off’ to re-sign O’Reilly but admitted there was ‘no chance’ of him and fellow loan Emre Tezgel, of Stoke City, returning to Gresty Road. "If one of them could come back to this club, I'd snap your hand off, but there's not a chance," Bell told BBC Radio Stoke. "I'd be very surprised to see them playing in League Two ever again - not until they get about 35 and they're winding down. No, we definitely won't be able to get them. I'll try, but there's no chance."

WHAT TYPE OF PLAYER IS HE?

O’Reilly is a left-footed forward who plays off the right wing. His highlights reel shows him regularly scoring goals from inside the box, teeing-up team-mates with excellent composure and cutting in off the right flank to create chances.

WHY WOULD OWLS WANT HIM?

He fits the ‘young and hungry’ profile and arrives after a successful season in League Two with Crewe and appears ready to test himself at a higher level. With Wednesday currently short of wide options, he would provide competition for places.

WHAT’S HIS CONTRACT SITUATION?

He signed a new extended contract at Villa in 2024 but the club’s official announcement did not reveal the length of the deal. However, other websites suggest it runs until 2028.