Sheffield Wednesday manager Danny Röhl spoke honestly and openly about the scale of business he would like to complete in the January transfer window amid hopes the Owls are set to unveil their first signing in his time at the club.
The Owls have already had an active start to the winter window, freeing up space in the squad with the departures of loanee John Buckley back to parent club Blackburn Rovers and Tyreeq Bakinson, who signed on loan for League One Charlton Athletic last week.
It is understood that Wednesday are hopeful of completing the signing of talented Brighton & Hove Albion goalkeeper James Beadle in the coming days, with BBC Sheffield reporting that the 19-year-old stopper was in Sheffield on Sunday and that his signing is ‘imminent’. The Star understands the Owls are set for talks with 23-year-old West Ham United midfielder Conor Coventry in the coming days, though Wednesday are not believed to be front-runners for his signature as things stand.
Asked the scale of the incoming work Röhl wants to achieve this month – and whether midfield is of a particular importance given the double departure of Buckley and Bakinson – the German made clear there is a great deal of work to be done. He has repeatedly stressed, however, that the winter window is notoriously difficult and that not all business will be straight-forward.
“I think we will do work in some positions,” he told The Star. “On my list I have striker, winger, midfield, maybe full-backs, maybe goalkeeper! We have a lot to do! But let’s just wait to see what happens next week, for sure we cannot do everything in the next week. I will try always to do everything immediately but it’s always crazy, this market.”
Recent results suggest Wednesday’s task of encouraging potential transfer prospects will be made easier. Including their 4-0 hammering of Cardiff City in the FA Cup on Saturday, the Owls have now won three matches on the bounce and are within striking distance of the Championship safety places for the first time this season.
The easing of fixture congestion post-new year will aid Röhl’s mission to further imbed his methods on a squad encouraged by the return of key players from injury. A 12-point deficit on 21st place has been cut to just three and form guides have Wednesday in the upper reaches of what has been a remarkable turnaround in his time at S6.
“When you look back, the international break was very helpful for us to make us stronger and improve,” he said. “Now we have normal weeks, it is about training, training and training. It will be different now having one game weeks and it is about preparing for the games by training well and being ready for the second leg of the season.”
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