"Inflated" - Ike Ugbo transfer claim made amid Sheffield Wednesday stint | OneFootball

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Sheffield Wednesday are so close to pulling off one of the most unlikely Championship survival pushes of all time, but one of their most key players is set to leave the club at the end of the season.

25-year-old Canadian forward Ike Ugbo joined the Owls on loan in January. The Troyes striker was with Cardiff City for the first half of the season, before that deal was cut short so that he could make the move to Hillsborough.

Ugbo didn't hit the ground running as soon as he joined. His first few games went much like the ones that he played for Cardiff, which saw him find the back of the net just four times between the beginning of the 2023/24 campaign and the middle of January.

But, after his first few games, he found his shooting boots, and netted six times in five games, helping Wednesday pick up 12 points from a possible 15 in that run.

The last goal in that run came against Rotherham United in early February. Prior to Saturday, that was his last goal for the Owls, but he got back to his scoring ways against West Bromwich Albion.

He struck one of the three goals that helped Danny Röhl's side breeze past the Baggies on route to collecting three points, which could secure their place in the Championship for the 24/25 campaign.

They face Sunderland this weekend, and a point is all they need to clinch safety.

Wednesday seemed down and out for much of the season, but Ugbo's bright spell helped give them a fighting chance of staying up, and they have certainly taken the fight to the surrounding teams.

Fans will be sad to see the likes of Ugbo, who have helped them so much in their fight for survival, leave Hillsborough. But, there is a chance that the Canadian could return to the club permanently next season.

Football League World's Wednesday fan pundit, Callum Maxted, has shared his thoughts on a potential summer deal for the striker.

Sheffield Wednesday fan opinion on potential Ike Ugbo summer transfer

Maxted believes that any permanent deal for the 25-year-old will cost more now than it would have done previously, and that the club will need to secure their spot in the second tier if they want to bring him back.

"It's a difficult one because I think his price has inflated since he's been with us," said the Owls fan. "He's under contract with Troyes until 2026, so I think that it would cost a couple of million, at least, to get him to sign permanently.

"But, as we saw with the Duncan McGuire case, we were willing to spend money on him. If we'd be willing to spend on Ugbo as well then that would be a positive step, but I think we need to be in the Championship for that to happen."

Sheffield Wednesday must back Danny Röhl

If Dejphon Chansiri doesn't realise how special the club's current manager is, and doesn't back him as much as possible, then Wednesday will be doomed to this state of trying to survive in the second tier and no more.

The German boss is so good that he could probably get them towards mid-table next season, based on his body of work so far.

But they could do so much more, and keep him for much longer, as reports of Sunderland's interest in the young coach loom, if they decide to go all in on him, whether that includes the permanent acquisition of Ugbo or not.