Macaulay Langstaff signs: Sheffield Wednesday should secure these 3 shrewd transfers before August 30th | OneFootball

We looked at three smart signings Sheffield Wednesday should make before the closure of the transfer window.

Highlights

It is a big summer for Sheffield Wednesday after they secured survival in the Championship.

The Owls looked destined to make an immediate return to League One after a disastrous start to the season under Xisco Munoz, but they achieved safety after a remarkable turnaround under Danny Rohl as they finished 20th in the table.

Wednesday received a huge boost as Rohl signed a new long-term contract at the club last month, and it could be a busy summer as the German looks to rebuild his squad.

Loanees James Beadle, Kristian Pedersen, Jeff Hendrick, Momo Diaby, Ian Poveda, Ike Ugbo, and Ashley Fletcher have returned to their parent clubs, while Ciaran Brennan, Reece James, George Byers, Tyreeq Bakinson, Juan Delgado and Lee Gregory have been released at the end of their contracts.

Cameron Dawson and Will Vaulks have rejected the offer of a new deal to join Rotherham United and Oxford United respectively, but Liam Palmer and Barry Bannan have both committed their futures to the club.

The Owls have made three signings so far this summer, with Ben Hamer, Max Lowe and Yan Valery all arriving at Hillsborough, and there are likely to be plenty more new additions over the coming months.

Owner Dejphon Chansiri has been reluctant to pay transfer fees in recent years, and as Rohl is likely to be working with a limited budget, we looked at three shrewd signings Wednesday should consider.

Josh Sheehan

The departures of Hendrick, Diaby, Byers and Bakinson have left Wednesday light in central midfield, and Vaulks' decision to turn down a new contract has further depleted Rohl's options in the middle of the park.

Reinforcements in this area are likely to be one of the Owls' main priorities this summer, and Bolton Wanderers midfielder Josh Sheehan could be the perfect addition.

Sheehan scored four goals and registered 14 assists in 53 appearances in all competitions for Bolton in League One last season, and while the Trotters missed out on promotion as they were beaten by Oxford United in the play-off final, he enjoyed an excellent campaign on an individual level.

The 29-year-old was recognised for his performances as he was named Bolton's Player of the Season, and he was handed the captain's armband on just his sixth international appearance for Wales against Gibraltar earlier this month.

Wanderers will be desperate to keep hold of Sheehan as they look to mount another promotion push next season, but he is a player who deserves to play at a higher level than the third tier, and their resolve could be tested this summer.

Wednesday have long needed more creative options in midfield, and for what would be a relatively affordable fee, Sheehan could be the ideal solution to their problems.

Macaulay Langstaff

As well as strengthening in midfield, Rohl will be keen to bolster his side's forward line this summer.

Wednesday are keen to re-sign Troyes striker Ike Ugbo this summer after he scored seven goals in 19 appearances during his loan spell at the club in the second half of last season, but amid fears they could be priced out of a deal, they are plotting a move for Las Palmas striker Sory Kaba.

Of course, finding a goalscorer is one of the toughest tasks for any club, and if Chansiri is unwilling to pay big transfer fees, it could be difficult for the Owls to land their top targets.

One player that should be on Wednesday's radar is Notts County striker Macaulay Langstaff, and he could be a realistic option for the club.

Langstaff joined Notts from Gateshead in the summer of 2022, and he scored 41 goals in 47 games in all competitions to help the Magpies to promotion from the National League in his first year at the club.

There were question marks over whether Langstaff could make the step-up to League Two, but he certainly proved the doubters wrong as he scored 29 goals in 49 games last season, making him the top scorer in the EFL.

Langstaff is sure to attract transfer interest this summer, and according to Wales Online, he is "a name very much on the radar" of Swansea City, who are managed by ex-Notts boss Luke Williams.

The Magpies have made Langstaff their new club captain in an attempt to keep him this summer, and he is under contract at Meadow Lane until the summer of 2027, but it will be tough for them to turn down a sizeable bid for the 27-year-old.

Langstaff would be a gamble for Wednesday, but he has been a prolific scorer at every level of football he has played at, and it would be no surprise to see him adapt to the Championship.

Ali Al-Hamadi

If funds are restricted this summer, Wednesday could turn to the loan market in their search for a new number nine, and that may see Ipswich Town striker Ali Al-Hamadi emerge as an option.

After scoring 17 goals and providing seven assists in 29 games for AFC Wimbledon in League Two in the first half of last season, Al-Hamadi made the move to Portman Road in January.

With the Tractor Boys challenging for automatic promotion, it was always going to be difficult for Al-Hamadi to force his way into the team, but despite his lack of game time, he still made an impact as he scored four goals and provided one assist in 14 appearances to help Kieran McKenna's side secure their Premier League return.

Only one of Al-Hamadi's 14 appearances for Ipswich came from the start of last season, raising questions about how much game time he will receive in the top flight, and McKenna could look to send him out on loan this summer.

If Al-Hamadi becomes available, he is likely to have no shortage of Championship suitors, and newly-promoted Oxford United are said to be keen to sign him on loan.

Rohl knows all too well what Al-Hamadi is capable of after he netted twice in the Tractor Boys' 6-0 win over the Owls in March, and after proving that he can perform in the second tier, he could be the goalscorer that Wednesday desperately need.