Who Sheffield Wednesday beat to the signings of Alessio Da Cruz, Connor Wickham and Josh Windass in the January transfer window

Alessio Da Cruz, Connor Wickham and Josh Windass arrived in the final week of the January transfer window and it was that interest in the club and their attitude shown in negotiations that most impressed the Wednesday manager.

“It is about having that bit of variety that can help us,” Monk said.

“But the main thing with the three lads who have come in is their attitude and determination to come here.”

Crystal Palace target man Wickham, the most protracted of the three transfers, was the subject of interest from Championship rivals Bristol City, Cardiff and Reading, as well as enquiries from abroad in the form of French Ligue 1 side Bordeaux.

He begins his third loan stint with the club he hit nine goals for across 17 appearances.

Parma-owned Da Cruz, who had a loan stint at Serie B Ascoli terminated and made his debut off the bench in the weekend’s 0-0 Hillsborough draw with Millwall, is understood to have been targeted by the Owls’ fellow promotion chasers Brentford – a club famed for their success-rate in the transfer market – as well as a number of German clubs.

And The Star understands Windass was the subject of a handful of late enquiries from Championship clubs as his Wednesday switch was sealed from Wigan.

All three join on loan until the end of the season and deliver the added firepower Monk was clear the squad needed after the injury to stand-alone top scorer Steven Fletcher.

Monk said: “They wanted to come here, even though there has been interest from other clubs. That's what stood out for me.

“I want players at the club that are determined and have a good attitude.

“Their ages are right and they are the right profile.”

Wickham and Windass were signed too late to play in the Millwall clash but have been registered for contention to play in this weekend’s South Yorkshire derby at struggling Barnsley.