Di'Shon Bernard pens three-word message to Sheffield Wednesday supporters | OneFootball

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Sheffield Wednesday's latest summer signing Di'Shon Bernard has sent a three-word message - "to new beginnings" - to Owls fans after signing permanently for the Championship club.

The defender was released by Manchester United earlier this summer and becomes Xisco Munoz's latest addition at Hillsborough - helping to strengthen his defensive options ahead of their 2023/24 opener against Southampton on Friday evening.

Who is Di'Shon Bernard?

The 22-year-old ball-playing central defender began his career in the Chelsea academy before making the move to Old Trafford six years ago.

Bernard progressed through the Red Devils' age-group sides and would go on to make just one appearance for the Premier League giants before his departure - playing 90 minutes in the 2-1 Europa League group stage defeat to FC Astana in 2019.

He's got plenty of senior experience under his belt, however, and is EFL proven after a string of loan spells. He impressed in League Two with Salford City in 2020/21, featured 28 times for Championship side Hull City the following season, and made 10 appearances in League One for Portsmouth last term.

The Jamaica international is thought to have had other offers but has headed to Hillsborough to become the Owls' fifth signing of the summer - after the arrivals of Reece James, Juan Delgado, Ashley Fletcher and Pol Valentin. It remains unclear at this point how long the contract he signed is.

Di'Shon Bernard's message to Sheffield Wednesday fans

Bernard took to Twitter to reach out to Wednesday fans after the news was confirmed yesterday.

The defender posted multiple pictures of him in the club's famous blue and white stripes, alongside a three-word message: "to new beginnings".

Xisco Munoz on Di'Shon Bernard signing

Munoz shared his thoughts on the Bernard signing on BBC Radio Sheffield's Football Heaven last night.

He said: "For me, it's a perfect, a perfect situation today because we have another player more, we have one chance more to try to help this season.

"I'm very happy with Di'Shon. I know about him, he's a big potential for us. It's one step more and we need to continue moving every day."

Wednesday kick their season off against Southampton on Friday evening, in what is the curtain-raiser for the 2023/24 EFL season.

Not only is it the Owls' first game in the Championship against one of the teams earmarked to challenge for promotion after coming down from the Premier League but it'll be live on Sky Sports, adding that little bit more pressure.

As such, Munoz will want to name as strong a team as possible against the Saints at Hillsborough but it remains to be seen whether Bernard will be ready to feature.

The Wednesday boss explained: "Right now, we spoke with him today. He had some tests at the training ground. We need to know exactly tonight what is his level, how fit is he. It's true he played with the national team two weeks or three weeks ago and maybe he is not 100% fit but maybe he has a very good condition.