Coventry City, Birmingham City and Hull City face significant blow in Josh Windass chase | OneFootball

Hull City and Coventry City are set to miss out on Sheffield Wednesday star Josh Windass, with the forward on the verge of signing a new deal with the Owls, according to The Sheffield Star.

Football Insider recently reported that the Tigers and the Sky Blues were leading the race for the 30-year-old’s signature this summer, with his current contract at Hillsborough set to elapse at the end of the month.

But this latest report from the Steel City publication states that positive discussion have been had between player and club in recent days, with a new deal likely to be agreed.

That will leave Wednesday’s Championship rivals going back to the drawing board in terms of adding attacking quality to their respective squads this summer, with Windass looking set to join manager Danny Röhl in committing his future to the club.

Coventry City and Hull City set to miss out on Sheffield Wednesday attacker Josh Windass

Windass proved to be a top operator for the Owls in their resurgence under Röhl last season, with his influence helping his side stave off Championship relegation under the young German boss.

Six goals from his 25 appearances were crucial in keeping Wednesday in the division for the upcoming campaign, with three strikes in as many games to end the season seeing him end the campaign in fine form.

Crucial goals against Blackburn Rovers and Hull City earlier in the campaign also contributed to the Owls’ survival battle, and more-than likely aided his cause in earning a new deal at a Championship club for the upcoming campaign.

With news of his contract coming close to expiring, Windass had generated interest from a number of clubs over the last few months, with MLS sides said to be interested, as well as a last-ditch attempt from Birmingham City in their efforts to take League One by storm next season.

Coventry would have been eying the playmaker up as a potential replacement for Callum O’Hare this summer, with the creative midfielder said to have rejected a new deal to stay with the Sky Blues past the summer.

But those efforts look to be in vain, with The Star reporting that talks are progressing between Windass and Wednesday, with some details needing to be ironed out before a new deal is agreed.

Windass has been a Wednesday player since making his loan move from Wigan Athletic permanent in September 2020, and has gone on to make over 100 league appearances for the club in that time, scoring 30 league goals in the process.

Although his strikes in the previous campaign were crucial, none will have meant more than the injury-time winner in the 2023 League One playoff final against Barnsley, which secured a return to the second tier in the most dramatic of circumstances.

Those sort of match-defining moments have peppered the forward’s career to date, and are a key reason why he has attracted interest from teams aiming for Championship promotion in the upcoming campaign.

Josh Windass could join Danny Röhl in committing future to Sheffield Wednesday

Sheffield Wednesday have already been boosted this summer by the news that Danny Röhl [pictured] has committed his future to the club, amid plenty of interest from EFL clubs over the past few months.

Managerless Sunderland were said to be keen on bringing the 35-year-old to the club before his decision was made last month, and that move may be what has lured Windass to stay with the club.

The young German won 15 of his 35 league matches in charge of the Owls last season, as he produced a minor miracle in helping them to maintain their Championship status.

Utilising Windass to the greatest of his abilities was key to the upsurge in Wednesday’s form, with the 30-year-old given licence to produce the goods in the final third, and thrived as a result.

Tying him down to a new deal will be a major coup for the Yorkshire side ahead of next season, with Coventry and Hull likely to be ruing missing out on one of the second tier's most explosive attacking talents.