Who is ‘talented’ Owls former Aston Villa new boy Andre Green and what does he bring to Sheffield Wednesday?

The winger has been out of contract since leaving Villa Park in the summer as manager Dean Smith, himself a former Owls player, chose not to exercise an extension clause in his deal.

He is unlikely to be the only January addition to a squad caretaker manager Neil Thompson admitted was light in one or two areas, as the club seek to climb away from the relegation battle. But who is Andre Green? Let’s take a look..

Who is he?

At just 22, Green joins Wednesday at an excellent age. He’s a lightning-quick and explosive winger, known for his direct running and ability to beat players.

A lifelong Villa fan, he joined their academy at the age of just eight years old and was known to be understandably disappointed at his release last year.

He has a point to prove.

What’s he done?

A fair bit in a young career, despite falling out of favour as Villa entered the Premier League.

Green has represented England at every age group from under-16s to under-20s having burst onto the scene with the Villans at a young age, becoming the fifth-youngest player to appear for the club back in March 2016.

He has a wealth of Championship experience, too, having played in all three of Villa’s playoff matches, both semi-finals and at Wembley, as they were promoted in 2019.

Green enjoyed a reasonably successful loan spell at Charlton Athletic last season and has had shorter stints at Portsmouth and Preston.

How will he fit in?

Wednesday are short of players out wide and desperately require more impetus in the final third. Enter Green.

He has the attributes to create more chances for the Owls’ forwards and will provide very strong competition for the likes of Kadeem Harris and Adam Reach.

The Wednesday new boy can also try his hand at a role playing as a second striker. He arrives with a big point to prove.

What’s been said?

After his Premier League debut, then-Villa manager Remi Garde said: “I saw he has physical ability to make him very close to the standard I require for Premier League football. He’s a long way from being a regular player but he’s showing good commitment in sessions and around the complex.”

Garde brought him into first team training when he was 16 and featured on and off under Steve Bruce, before becoming a regular with Dean Smith, who said on bringing Green back from a loan at Portsmouth in 2019:

“He is a talented footballer and I have the opportunity to bring him back.

“He has qualities that I like to see in a young footballer. He has come through the system. He is quick and a goalscorer. All of those ingredients prompted me to bring him back.

“He’s starting to show the potential he’s got. It’s up to us now to polish that potential now and drive his market value up for the football club and help him fulfil that potential.”

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