4 Sheffield Wednesday transfer matters that Darren Moore will have to deal with very soon | OneFootball

The 2021/22 season ended in agonising style for Sheffield Wednesday, as Patrick Roberts’ stoppage time strike for Sunderland knocked the Owls out of the League One play-offs at the semi final stage.

As a result, Darren Moore must now prepare his team for another campaign in the third-tier of English football, when they will again be looking to secure promotion back to the Championship.

That leaves the club facing a rather busy summer in the transfer market, as they look to put together a squad that can take up during the 2022/23 season.

Moore wll no doubt want to get that business done quickly, to give his side the best possible chance to be fully prepared for the start of the new campaign.

So with that in mind, we’ve taken a look at four transfer issues at Sheffield Wednesday that Moore may have to deal with sooner rather than later.

Lee Gregory

One player who stood out for Sheffield Wednesday this season was Lee Gregory, the striker ending the campaign as the Owls’ top scorer with 17 goals in 39 games.

That is something that is starting to see interest in the 33-year-old emerge from elsewhere, with Middlesbrough, Wigan and Derby all reportedly keen on the striker.

Moore therefore, will no doubt want a decision on Gregory’s future quickly, then he knows whether or not he can plan around the 33-year-old for next season, or if he needs to go out and find a new option to lead the line, something he will not want to have to rush in the final days of the window.

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Massimo Luongo

Of those who are out of contract at Sheffield Wednesday this summer, Massimo Luongo is one that Moore could have a big decision to make over.

Injuries again restricted the midfielder at times this season, but there is no doubting he still possesses the quality to compete in the Championship, let alone League One, while even the likes of Barry Bannan have been calling for the 29-year-old to be handed a new deal.

As a result, there is some pressure Moore to make a decision on what to do over Luongo’s future, and even if they do decide to offer him a contract, there will be the issue of the two parties coming to an agreement over the nature of the deal.

Central defensive loan decisions

On position where Sheffield Wednesday have some big decisions to make is at centre back, where there are a number of loan players that have futures to be decided.

While injuries meant Liam Gibson’s spell on loan from Everton never really worked out, Harlee Dean and Jordan Storey have both had important parts to play since joining temporarily from Birmingham and Preston respectively in January.

Given the end of those loans means the Owls may now be short on options at the heart of their defence, Moore may have to decide quickly whether he attempts to bring any of those players back as he looks to build a defensive foundation for next season, which will also depend on the stance of the parent clubs of those individuals.

A new goalkeeper

Another player who sees his loan spell at Hillsborough end this summer is Bailey Peacock-Farrell, who spent much of this season as Sheffield Wednesday’s first choice goalkeeper.

With Joe Wildsmith also out of contract this summer, that leaves Cameron Dawson – who spent this season winning promotion from League Two on loan at Exeter – as the only goalkeeper on the books at Hillsborough.

That therefore, means some additions between the posts will be important for the Owls this summer, especially considering Dawson has previously struggled to establish himself as Wednesday’s number one at times when he has been given the chance to do so.