Sheffield Wednesday transfer latest: Arsenal striker competition, ex-Liverpool player warning, Dejphon Chansiri plans | OneFootball

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.

A six-game unbeaten run, including three consecutive victories in their final three games, secured Wednesday's place in the Championship for next season as they finished 20th in the table.

Given the outstanding job he has done at Hillsborough, there were fears that the Owls could lose Rohl, but they received a huge boost last week as the German signed a new long-term contract at the club, and it is likely to be a busy summer as he rebuilds his squad.

With the season now concluded, 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, Liam Palmer, Dominic Iorfa, Di'Shon Bernard, Will Vaulks, Barry Bannan and Josh Windass have all been offered new deals, and Rohl will be hoping his players will follow him in committing their future to the club.

There will be plenty of incomings and outgoings at Wednesday this summer, and as speculation begins to gather pace, we rounded up all the latest Owls transfer news.

Owls face competition for Arsenal striker

According to The Star, Wednesday have reignited their interest in Arsenal striker Mika Biereth.

Biereth spent the first half of last season on loan at Scottish Premiership side Motherwell, scoring six goals and providing five assists in 15 appearances before being recalled by the Gunners in January, and the Owls were keen to bring him to Hillsborough during the winter transfer window.

Wednesday were said to be confident of landing Biereth's signature at one stage, but he instead made a temporary move to Austrian outfit Sturm Graz.

Biereth scored nine goals and registered four assists in 22 games for Sturm Graz, featuring in the Europa Conference League, and helping them to win both the Austrian Bundesliga title and the Austrian Cup.

The 21-year-old has one year left on his contract at the Emirates Stadium, and Arsenal will reportedly hold talks with Sturm Graz this week over a potential permanent deal.

However, the Owls are keen to sign Biereth on loan this summer, and he is also attracting attention from other clubs in the UK and Europe, so the Gunners are facing a big decision over his future.

Ex-Liverpool player on radar

The Star claim that Wednesday are considering a move for former Liverpool and Reading midfielder Ovie Ejaria.

Ejaria has been without a club since being released by Reading in December due to injury problems and as part of cost-cutting measures at the club, and his last senior appearance came back in November 2022.

The 22-year-old initially joined the Royals on loan from Liverpool in January 2019, and after two loan spells, he made a permanent move to the Select Car Leasing Stadium in August 2020.

Ejaria scored nine goals and provided 13 assists in 127 appearances for Reading, and after his exit, he was linked with Plymouth Argyle, but a move to Home Park did not materialise.

The midfielder is said to have trained with the Owls towards the end of the season with a view to a potential deal this summer, and it remains to be seen whether Wednesday will offer him a contract.

Carlton Palmer on Ovie Ejaria to Sheffield Wednesday speculation

Speaking exclusively to Football League World, pundit Carlton Palmer urged Wednesday not to sign Ejaria as he believes it would be too much of a gamble.

"Now that Danny Rohl has committed his future to the club, it’s been reported that Sheffield Wednesday are starting to look at what business they’re going to do in the summer to help the club move forward," Palmer said.

"The transfer window doesn’t open for another few weeks but Danny Rohl has started making his plans as he looks to bolster his squad.

“One player that has come to mind who has trained at Sheffield Wednesday last season is Ovie Ejaria. He trained with Sheffield Wednesday and Plymouth at the back end of last season, he was released by Reading at Christmas time, and he’s not had a club since.

"I think this is a risky signing for Sheffield Wednesday. Ovie Ejaria came with a big future and was a talented player, but at his age at 26, Sheffield Wednesday can’t be looking and thinking that they can rejuvenate him.

“If he’s struggling in League One, which is where Reading are, then Sheffield Wednesday, who are pushing to be at the top end of the Championship, he’s not a signing that Sheffield Wednesday want to make to kick on.

"However, I look at the players that Danny has got a tune out of at the end of the season and there are players who were struggling in the Championship but Danny and Chris Powell have been able to get a tune out of them.

"This may represent very little risk on a free transfer, but is he the type of signing that Sheffield Wednesday want to make to show their intentions of moving on?

"Danny Rohl will be looking at being in the play-offs next season. Is he a player that’s going to be part of that squad? I don’t think so.

"It’s definitely a risky signing, but if you’re not paying any money for him, it’s a risk you might want to take."

Dejphon Chansiri transfer plans revealed

One of the big question marks going into the summer transfer window for Wednesday is how much backing Rohl will receive from owner Dejphon Chansiri.

Chansiri's lack of investment in recent years led to concerns that Rohl would leave the club this summer, but the fact he has signed a long-term deal suggests he has received the necessary assurances from the owner.

According to journalist Alan Nixon, Chansiri is "delighted with Rohl and is prepared to spend", but he will target loans and free transfers and is "looking to pay decent wages rather than transfer fees", while Wednesday are said to be "looking in both the domestic and foreign markets" for new additions.

Owls supporters may be worried about Chansiri's reluctance to pay transfer fees, but he will likely have to spend some money this summer, and Rohl is clearly happy with the plan the pair have agreed.