These former Sheffield Wednesday players are still searching for a new club
The new 2026/2027 season starts later this month
A number of former Sheffield Wednesday players are still searching for a new club as the season draws closer.
The Championship, League One and League Two campaigns get underway over the weekend of August 14-17, with The Owls starting life in the third-tier away at Leyton Orient on the Saturday.
It has been a busy summer of transfer activity for Wednesday so far, with 12 new additions through the door, and there are likely to be more arrivals before the window shuts on September 1. The Owls have made their financial situation clear, stating they are working under budget restrictions, as agreed with the English Football League, which means they are mainly working with free transfers and loans from now on. Transfer fees received for their own players can only be reinvested into wages.
The Professional Football Association (PFA) has been running a training camp for free agents throughout this summer, including organising friendlies, which allows players to show what they can do to on-watching scouts. Among the 47 players taking part this week are six former Owls.
Goalkeeper Joe Wildsmith, defenders Ben Heneghan and Marvin Johnson, attackers Andre Green and Olamide Shodipo, and striker Connor Wickham are all trying to impress to earn themselves new deals for the upcoming season.
Wildsmith, 30, came through the Owls academy, making almost 100 appearances, before leaving in 2022, playing for Derby County, West Brom and Middlesbrough. Heneghan, 32, made 13 outings in the 2022/2023 season in League One, going on to Fleetwood Town and Port Vale. Johnson, 35, won promotion with Wednesday the last time they were in League One in 2023. He had a short stint at Port Vale last season. Green, 28, made a handful of appearances between 2020 and 2022, as did Shodipo, 29, in the 2021/2022 campaign.
Since its launch in the 2022/23 season, the PFA say the training camp has helped hundreds of free agents land new deals with clubs. The initiative includes daily training sessions, strength and conditioning, friendly fixtures, and physical and mental wellbeing support.