Sheffield Wednesday: League Two promotion-winner could be perfect James Beadle replacement - View | OneFootball

James Beadle cemented himself as Danny Röhl’s first-choice goalkeeper at the back end of the 2023/24 season but after his loan deal expired, Sheffield Wednesday will be in the market for a replacement.

Beadle was bought in on loan from Brighton & Hove Albion in January to strengthen Wednesday’s struggling goalkeeping department.

Manager Xisco Muñoz opted to start with Sheffield native Cameron Dawson in goal for his team's opening Championship match of the season, but he immediately lost his place to AC Milan loanee Devis Vásquez, who started the rest of Muñoz's games in charge until he was sacked in early October.

Dawson and Vásquez conceded 18 goals between them in the opening ten Championship games of the 2023/24 season, where their team recorded their worst-ever start to a season.

Beadle quickly established himself as Röhl’s first choice between the sticks after his January loan move and the 19-year-old's eight clean sheets in just 19 games helped his club complete a miraculous turnaround to stay in the Championship.

The German manager is now left with a dilemma as his dependable keeper returned to his parent club at the end of the season. He will have to try and bring in a capable number one in the summer to replace the dependable Beadle if Wednesday can't land a fresh loan agreement for the goalkeeper.

Crawley Town's Corey Addai is a perfect option for Sheffield Wednesday

There are few better options to bring in between the sticks than Crawley Town’s League Two play-off final winner Corey Addai.

The 6’4” shot-stopper played 39 out of a possible 46 regular season games for his team, where he averaged a 7.30 match rating, according to data from Sofascore. He was the highest-rated player among his teammates and also the best-rated goalkeeper in the division.

It was during the League Two play-off campaign that Addai came into his own. He conceded just once in 270 minutes of football and kept a clean sheet in the final as his team, who entered the play-offs as the lowest-seeded outfit, won promotion to League Two for the very first time.

The 26-year-old produced several eye-catching moments in the Red Devils’ semi-final double-header against MK Dons. He calmly controlled a wild back pass just a few yards away from his goal line and dribbled around an onrushing Dons player before booting the ball downfield.

In the away leg of the tie, the London-born keeper denied Young Player of the Season Nominee Max Dean from the penalty spot with an athletic dive, down to the right of his goal.

Crawley announced they had exercised a one-year extension to Addai's contract, which will keep him at Broadfield Stadium until next summer. Despite this, the keeper remains an attainable target for Röhl’s side if Wednesday can make an enticing offer during the transfer window.

Sheffield Wednesday return looks unlikely for James Beadle

Beadle’s performances at Hillsborough Stadium have reportedly put him in first-team contention at Brighton, according to The Argus. Former manager Roberto De Zerbi described both Beadle and Swansea City Loanee Carl Rushworth as “very good goalkeepers.”

“I will have much time to analyse both.”

The Italian manager may now have departed the south coast, but it is unlikely that this will change the club’s stance on giving a chance to their talented young goalkeeper.

This news shows it is important that Wednesday look for other players in Beadle’s position, and Crawley’s soon-to-be free agent Addai looks like a fantastic option.