3 players who should follow Josh Windass and Michael Smith out of Sheffield Wednesday | OneFootball

We looked at three players who should push for an exit from Sheffield Wednesday after the departures of Josh Windass and Michael Smith.

With just a few weeks to go until the start of the new Championship season, it looks as though a tough campaign will be ahead for Sheffield Wednesday.

Wednesday finished 12th in the Championship last season, but it has been a nightmare summer for the South Yorkshire outfit amid a host of off-field problems.

Owls owner Dejphon Chansiri finally paid the wages of players and staff for May and June last week, as well as the money owed to HMRC, which lifted two of the club's three transfer embargoes, but they remain under a three-window transfer fee ban, and the saga has had further damaging consequences.

In a desperate attempt to raise funds, Chansiri sold star duo Anthony Musaba and Djeidi Gassama to Samsunspor and Rangers respectively, for a combined total of just £3 million, while the contracts of forwards Josh Windass and Michael Smith were terminated by mutual consent last week after they handed in their notices, and the quartet are not the only departures from Hillsborough this summer.

In a rare piece of good news for beleaguered supporters, The Star claimed that Wednesday are no longer looking to actively sell players, but with further financial problems potentially on the horizon as July's payday looms, there could be further exits over the coming weeks, particularly as at least six other members of the first-team squad are believed to have handed in their notices.

With that in mind, we looked at three other Owls players who should consider pushing for a move away this summer.

Pierce Charles

After coming through the club's academy following his move from Manchester City, Pierce Charles has developed a reputation as one of Wednesday's most highly-rated prospects.

Charles was handed an opportunity between the sticks towards the back end of last season after Brighton & Hove Albion loanee James Beadle was dropped in March, and he put in some impressive performances in the final eight games of the season, with his most notable contribution coming when he saved a penalty in the victory over Middlesbrough in April.

In addition to his progression at Wednesday, it appears Charles has also established himself as Northern Ireland's number one at international level, with the 20-year-old featuring six times for his country since making his senior debut in October.

Charles claimed earlier in the summer that there was "nothing that could make me leave" amid speculation over his future, but given the turmoil the Owls have experienced since he made those comments, his stance may have changed, and it was reported last week that he is on the radar of Scottish Premiership giants Rangers.

Di'Shon Bernard

Defender Di'Shon Bernard arrived at Hillsborough on a free transfer in the summer of 2023 following his release by Manchester United.

Bernard played a crucial role as Wednesday pulled off a great escape from relegation in his first season in S6, and after a lengthy wait for him to commit his future to the club, he signed a new contract last summer.

Despite receiving two red cards in the first half of the season, Bernard continued to impress for the Owls last term, but his campaign was brought to a premature end when he suffered a serious knee injury in the defeat at West Bromwich Albion in February.

Given that Bernard will miss the start of the new season as he continues his recovery, clubs may have reservations about making a move for the 24-year-old this summer, but after proving his ability at Championship level over the past two years, he could be an excellent signing for any side with promotion ambitions.

Max Lowe

After his release by Sheffield United, defender Max Lowe made the controversial move across the Steel City to join Wednesday on a free transfer last summer.

If any Owls supporters had any doubts about the signing of Lowe due to his Bramall Lane past, they were quickly put to bed as he emerged as one of the club's most consistent performers last season, and he made 37 appearances before his campaign was cut short by an ankle injury he sustained against the Blades in March.

It seems Lowe has caught the eye of other Championship clubs after his strong debut season at Hillsborough, and it was claimed earlier this month that his former Sheffield United manager, Paul Heckingbottom, is keen to reunite with him at Preston North End this summer, while he was also linked with newly-relegated Leicester City.

As things stand, it does not appear that Lowe is one of those trying to force a move away from Wednesday, but the opportunity to join a stable club like Preston or a potential promotion challenger in Leicester could be too tempting for him to turn down.