Sheffield Wednesday will be hoping for a much-improved campaign in the Championship this season.
The Owls only narrowly avoided relegation last season following a remarkable turnaround under Danny Rohl, but optimism is high that they can climb the table in the year ahead.
Wednesday received a huge boost when Rohl signed a new long-term contract in May, and the German has wasted no time in getting to work on rebuilding his squad, with 10 new signings arriving at Hillsborough so far this summer.
Sheffield Wednesday – 2024-25 Signings | ||
---|---|---|
Player Name | Signed From | Loan/Permanent |
James Beadle | Brighton & Hove Albion | Loan |
Ben Hamer | Watford | Permanent |
Yan Valery | Angers | Permanent |
Max Lowe | Sheffield United | Permanent |
Svante Ingelsson | Hansa Rostock | Permanent |
Nathaniel Chalobah | West Bromwich Albion | Permanent |
Olaf Kobacki | Arka Gdynia | Permanent |
Jamal Lowe | Bournemouth | Permanent |
Charlie McNeill | Manchester United | Permanent |
Ike Ugbo | Troyes | Permanent |
Liam Palmer, Dominic Iorfa, Di’Shon Bernard, Barry Bannan and Josh Windass have all signed new deals, but Cameron Dawson and Will Vaulks have departed after rejecting the offer of an extension, while Ciaran Brennan, Reece James, George Byers, Tyreeq Bakinson, Juan Delgado and Lee Gregory have been released.
The Owls have done some excellent business this summer, but Rohl will still be keen to strengthen further before the end of the window, and with that in mind, we looked at two free agents he should consider signing.
Matty James
After their big influx of signings, Wednesday are well-stocked in most positions, but they remain a little light in central midfield, so former Bristol City midfielder Matty James could be a potential option.
James was released by the Robins this summer after three years at Ashton Gate, which may have come as a surprise to some supporters given how regularly he featured during his time at the club.
Matty James’ stats for Bristol City (according to Transfermarkt) | |||
Season | Appearances | Goals | Assists |
2021-22 | 33 | 1 | 3 |
2022-23 | 39 | 0 | 0 |
2023-24 | 43 | 3 | 0 |
While some may assume that the 33-year-old’s best days are behind him, James was one of City’s most consistent performers last season, and he even came up with a number of important goals, so there is no doubt he still has plenty more to offer.
Rohl is likely to rotate between Svante Ingelsson and Nathaniel Chalobah in the holding midfield role this season, so James would not be a regular starter if he was to make the move to Hillsborough, but that may suit him at this stage of his career, and he would be an excellent option to call upon when needed.
Having captained the Robins for the last three seasons, James would bring leadership qualities to the dressing room, and given that he is the brother of popular former Owls defender Reece James, he would receive a warm welcome in South Yorkshire.
Sheffield Wednesday duo Bailey Cadamarteri and Pierce Charles are both attracting loan interest from League One.
Divin Mubama
Wednesday have completed the permanent signing of Ike Ugbo from Troyes after his successful loan spell at the club in the second half of last season, and while Rohl will be delighted to have landed his top target, he may be keen to bring in one more striker.
Recruiting another number nine would add more firepower to the Owls’ forward line as they look to mount a surprise play-off push, but it would also allow Rohl to send Bailey Cadamarteri out on loan, which would be hugely beneficial for his development.
Wednesday were said to have made an enquiry about signing Divin Mubama on loan in the January transfer window, and they could reignite their interest in the 19-year-old after he was released by West Ham United.
Mubama was a prolific scorer in the Hammers academy, and he went on to score one goal and provide one assist in 18 appearances for the first team, but was not offered a new contract at the London Stadium this summer.
There is no doubt that Mubama is a player with huge potential, underlined by the fact he has featured for England at youth level, and given Rohl’s reputation for developing young players, he could thrive if he was to make the move to Hillsborough.
Sunderland were said to be leading the race to sign Mubama, and French side Lyon have also been credited with an interest, but he remains a free agent, which could open the door for Wednesday to land his signature.