German free agent should be on Sheffield Wednesday's radar following double injury blow: View | OneFootball

Sheffield Wednesday were dealt a double blow in their Championship survival hopes following their defeat to Leicester City in midweek.

Danny Rohl confirmed that defenders Akin Famewo and Swansea City loanee Kristian Pedersen are set to miss a period of 'weeks' out of action through injury.

It leaves The Owls short of defensive options on their left-hand side, meaning a potential dip into the transfer market could be imminent.

"We are looking into the market" confirms Sheffield Wednesday manager Danny Rohl

Following the defeat at the King Power Stadium, Rohl confirmed that the club were looking into potential free agents to combat their latest injury blows.

Senior names including Lee Gregory and Jeff Hendrick were left off the club's initial EFL squad registration list as Röhl sought to beef-up his options after a frustrating winter transfer window.

This search was understood to have been focused centrally on midfield and particularly in the final third.

But with the situation as it is on the left, Röhl admitted he and the club's recruitment staff are now on the lookout for free agent left-backs.

Speaking to The Star, he said: "We are looking into the market, but the market is really special.

"Maybe we will find someone. We will have to take a look at how long Kristian Pedersen is out, how long Akin Famewo is out. I

"In this position, now we have a new situation and now Marvin has to play. This is our situation. "We are always looking in front. At the moment, I am pushing the topic from my side.

"Of course, we are looking, Kevin (Beadell, head of recruitment) is looking through the free agents but my focus is on my team and who I have at the moment."

While lesser-seen left-back Reece James remains an option for the Owls, with Röhl claiming he still sees the former Doncaster Rovers man as part of his plans, the 30-year-old has played only eight minutes of league football since the second week in November, which means a dip into the transfer market seems more likely.

And a free agent they could look to is experienced defender, Marvin Plattenhardt, who Rohl will know well during his time in Germany.

The Sheffield Wednesday boss started his coaching career at RB Leipzig, before later working with Southampton and Bayern Munich, along with the German national team.

During that time, Plattenhardt was playing for Hertha BSC, making over 200 appearances across a nine-year spell before being released.

He was also part of Germany’s squad for the 2018 World Cup and captained Hertha last season, making 31 league appearances and would bring great pedigree to Hillsborough at both club and international level.

The Owls currently sit in 23rd place in the Championship, six points behind Millwall, but this situation would not be unknown to the 32-year-old, having scored the winning goal in Hertha's 2022 relegation playoff with Hamburg, rescuing the team from relegation to the 2. Bundesliga.

Rohl's only concern may be the fitness of the defender should he come straight into the first-team fold if a deal is to be completed.

Plattenhardt has been without a club since the summer of last year, but has a good injury record from his time in Germany, having missed just 41 games during his nine-year spell with Hertha Berlin, but the fitness needed in the Championship could prove very different to the Bundesliga.

The experienced defender would be a shrewd addition for The Owl's on a short-term contract, but it remains to be seen the extent of the injuries to both Famewo and Pedersen as to if it is an option Rohl will look to explore.