Sheffield Wednesday now eyeing experienced Premier League midfielder

Sheffield Wednesday now eyeing experienced Premier League midfielder

Having confirmed the arrival of Ike Ugbo on loan from French side Troyes, Sheffield Wednesday are now looking to strengthen in the middle of the park, as Danny Rohl attempts the tough task of keeping the Owls in the Championship this season.

Sheffield Wednesday confirm Ugbo deal

After Ugbo was recalled from his loan spell at Cardiff City, Sheffield Wednesday were perfectly placed to land a loan deal of their own for the forward. It’s no surprise that the Owls have turned to Ugbo, as Rohl looks to find the goals that his side have so desperately been lacking in the current campaign. In fact, no side has scored fewer than Sheffield Wednesday’s goals total of 21 in the Championship this season.

Rohl spoke highly of Ugbo after the forward’s arrival was confirmed, saying via Sheffield Wednesday’s X account: “He has good ability one v one, he can press, he has a lot of good things we can use for our style of football. He will need some time with us to adapt, we will help him, we will have meetings and I am convinced he can help us in the second half of the season. I will give him the belief.”

Now, the Championship strugglers have reportedly turned their attention towards a midfield reinforcement in the form of Isaac Hayden, who has had his loan move cut short at Standard Liege.

Sheffield Wednesday make contact to sign Hayden

According to Pete O’Rourke of Football Insider, Sheffield Wednesday have registered their interest in Hayden, who is back at Newcastle United and preparing to be sent on loan to the Championship.

With Sheffield Wednesday, Birmingham City, Plymouth Argyle and Blackburn Rovers all making contact ahead of potentially welcoming the defender this month, it certainly looks as though Hayden is not short on options in the January window.

Having previously earned plenty of experience in England’s second tier whilst on loan at Norwich City and when helping Newcastle to promotion and title victory in the 2016/17 campaign, Hayden could be the man that Rohl desperately needs to stop the rot at Hillsborough.

In an ideal world, the Owls boss will have reinforcements aplenty and Championship safety well within his grasp by the end of the month. Still sitting three points adrift of safety, however, the squad have quite the task ahead of them in the second half of the campaign.

Winning the race to sign Hayden could go a long way in securing their Championship status. The former Norwich loanee is a player who has been lavished with praise in the past, including by Premier League legend Alan Shearer, who praised the Englishman’s versatility: “The midfielder is doing a superb job filling in in an unfamiliar role at centre-half.”

With a number of weeks still remaining in the transfer window, Sheffield Wednesday are not messing around. The Owls’ intentions are clear and Rohl could yet get even more reinforcements following Ugbo and perhaps even Hayden this month, as he looks to take charge of a fightback towards safety.