Sheffield Wednesday and Birmingham City plotting January move for Brighton player | OneFootball

Highlights

Sheffield Wednesday and Birmingham City are interested in signing Brighton & Hove Albion goalkeeper James Beadle on loan in January, according to The Star.

Beadle came through the academy at Charlton Athletic before making the move to Brighton in 2022, and he signed a new contract to keep him at the Amex Stadium until 2026 in January.

The 19-year-old spent the second half of last season on loan with Crewe Alexandra in League Two, making nine appearances before an ankle injury ended his stint at the Mornflake Stadium.

He joined Oxford United on a season-long loan this summer, and he has excelled for the U's so far, keeping nine clean sheets in 24 appearances in all competitions to help Des Buckingham's side to third in the League One table.

There has been speculation that Beadle could be recalled by the Seagulls and sent to a higher division in January, but Buckingham insists he is confident that the club can keep hold of their loan players.

"They’re here and playing extremely well in a team that’s trying to progress and have a successful season," Buckingham told BBC Radio Oxford's The Dub podcast, quoted by the Oxford Mail.

"Hopefully the way that they’re looked after here, the club that loans them to us can see how they’re developing and how they’re playing, so if there was an opportunity to be recalled, I’d like to think that they’d think twice because they see how well they are doing.

"Of course, we haven’t got too much control over that should they want to, but it’s about making sure when we look at recruitment and the work the recruitment team do, there’s succession planning and back-up plans.

"Should it happen, I’d like to think we’re as well-placed as we could be to make sure we cover ourselves quickly."

Sheffield Wednesday and Birmingham City's goalkeeper situations

Wednesday signed Devis Vasquez on loan from AC Milan this summer, and the Colombian started the season as the Owls' number one goalkeeper, but after a number of unconvincing performances, he was dropped in October.

Cameron Dawson has been Wednesday's first choice under Danny Rohl, and while he has made a number of errors this campaign, the German praised him after his penalty save against Stoke City earlier this month.

"In the past, it wasn’t always easy for Cameron. He had some negative voices against him but now he saved the point against Leicester and now he was a player in the key moment today and he was fantastic," Dawson told The Star.

Beadle is known for his ability with the ball at his feet, and with Rohl keen for his team to play out from the back, he could be the perfect fit for the Owls, while he worked with the club's goalkeeper coach Sal Bibbo at Brighton.

John Ruddy has started every league game for Birmingham this season, but he has put in a number of shaky performances of late, most notably against Blackburn Rovers and Rotherham United.

Beadle is the second goalkeeper to be linked with the Blues since Wayne Rooney's arrival in October after reports of interest in Rangers' Jack Butland, so it is a position Rooney may look to strengthen in January.

Wednesday currently sit 23rd in the Championship table, six points from safety, while Birmingham are 17th, six points clear of the relegation zone.

Would James Beadle be a good signing for Sheffield Wednesday or Birmingham City?

Beadle would be an excellent addition for Wednesday or Birmingham.

He is a player with huge potential, underlined by the fact he has been called up by England at U21 level, and he has been one of the standout goalkeepers in League One this season.

Goalkeeper has been a problem position for the Owls and the Blues this campaign, with Dawson and Ruddy failing to convince in recent weeks, and Beadle could be a good option for both clubs with Rohl and Rooney looking to implement a more progressive style of play.

It would be a blow for Oxford to lose Beadle, but Brighton will be keen for him to play at the highest level possible, and if Wednesday and Birmingham are keen, they could consider recalling him from his loan at the Kassam Stadium to send him to the Championship.