Asked whether Sheffield Wednesday would be at all tempted to step into the free agent market, Owls boss Danny Röhl kept his cards close to his chest, telling The Star: “Today is not the right moment to speak about this market. It’s for me to speak about our team and where we are in this moment.”
With no outright denial of activity, that leaves the door ajar, in our book. Perhaps. Maybe. And with that in mind, we’ve enlisted the expert help of football analyst and Owls fan TWFootball1867 to take a leap into scouring out some of the options available to Wednesday should they be looking to add to what they’ve already got.
We’ve identified the spine of the side as areas they would be best off strengthening. Featuring a couple of former Owls, an ex-Leeds United skipper and one forward our man feels would be something of a ‘coup’, here’s a rolling ramble through some of the players that remain available.
1. Matty James - CM
The former Bristol City skipper is currently linked with Coventry City, although nothing concrete has been decided. The midfielder made 43 appearances last season for Bristol City, captaining the team on his way. The experienced midfielder boasts Premier League appearances to sit alongside his wealth of championship experience. His pass completion stands out across his data, sitting on the 91st percentile last season across all | Alex Pantling/Getty Images Photo: Alex Pantling/Getty Images
2. Liam Cooper - CB
The experienced centre-half left Leeds in the summer and is still available on a free, despite a stream of rumours over the summer suggesting he could stay. The former Leeds man - who is left-footed - played over 1000 minutes last season. No centre-half in the championship made more passes or had more touches per 90 minutes. Though linked with a left-field switch Bulgarian side CSKA Sofia, he could be a good fit to Röhl's style. Photo: Alex Burstow
3. M'Baye Niang - CF
Perhaps the most ambitious on the list. Niang scored 14 goals across the Turkish Super Liga and Serie A last year, adding to his impressive record of a goal every three games across his career. A former AC Milan front man, at 29 he is linked with a move to Iranian side, Persepolis, indicating he may be prepared to drop some levels at this stage of his career. It would be a coup, no doubt. | Getty Images
4. Paul Dummett - CB
Dummett played just 481 minutes for Newcastle United last season before his release. However, his last two starts came in League Cup wins over Manchester Clubs, City and United. Dummett kept a clean sheet in both games, playing in their entirety. He has played nearly 9000 Premier League minutes over his career and is primarily a centre-half, though he can deputise on the left. | Getty Images