Tom Cannon in: The ideal Sheffield Wednesday XI to face Plymouth Argyle on August 11th | OneFootball

We predicted what Sheffield Wednesday's dream starting line-up for their opening game against Plymouth Argyle could look like.

Sheffield Wednesday will be hopeful of a much-improved campaign in the Championship next season.

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

Wednesday received a huge boost when Rohl signed a new long-term contract at the club in May, and it has been a busy start to the transfer window as the German looks to rebuild his squad.

Ciaran Brennan, Reece James, George Byers, Tyreeq Bakinson, Juan Delgado and Lee Gregory have been released at the end of their contracts, and Cameron Dawson and Will Vaulks have departed after rejecting new deals.

Liam Palmer, Dominic Iorfa, Barry Bannan and Josh Windass have all signed new contracts, and the Owls have brought in seven new signings so far this summer, with James Beadle, Ben Hamer, Max Lowe, Yan Valery, Svante Ingelsson, Olaf Kobacki and Jamal Lowe arriving at Hillsborough.

Wednesday get their season underway when they host Plymouth Argyle on Sunday 11th August, and we looked at Rohl's potential dream starting line-up for the game, including a few realistic potential signings.

GK: James Beadle

Wednesday re-signed goalkeeper Beadle on loan from Brighton & Hove Albion this week after his successful loan spell at the club in the second half of last season, during which he kept eight clean sheets in 19 appearances.

Fellow summer signing Hamer and talented youngster Pierce Charles will provide strong competition for places in the goalkeeping department, but Beadle seems certain to get the nod to start between the sticks.

RB: Yan Valery

Pol Valentin impressed at right-back for the Owls in the second half of last season, but Rohl has decided to strengthen in that area with the signing of Yan Valery, who he worked with during his time as a coach at Southampton.

Valery provided five assists in 37 games last season to help former club Angers to promotion to the French top flight, and as he can provide a greater attacking threat down the right, he could be chosen ahead of Valentin.

CB: Di'Shon Bernard

Palmer, Iorfa, Bannan and Windass have all signed new contracts with Wednesday, but one player who is yet to commit his future to the club is defender Di'Shon Bernard.

Bernard joined the Owls on a free transfer last summer after his release by Manchester United, and he was one of the club's standout performers last season, making 36 appearances in all competitions.

A number of Championship clubs are said to be interested in Bernard, but Wednesday will be hopeful they can tie him down to an extension, and a decision could be imminent after he returned from his Copa America involvement with Jamaica.

CB: Michal Helik

Wednesday have a number of strong options at centre-back, including Iorfa, Michael Ihiekwe and Akin Famewo, but they were vulnerable at the back last season, and it is a position Rohl may look to bolster.

One player the Owls could target is Huddersfield Town defender Michal Helik, who scored nine goals in 42 appearances in all competitions for the Terriers last season, incredibly finishing as the club's top scorer.

Set pieces were a big weakness for Wednesday last season, so Helik would help to improve them in both boxes, and he may be keen to leave Huddersfield this summer after their relegation to League One.

LB: Max Lowe

Max Lowe made the controversial move across South Yorkshire to join Wednesday after his release by Sheffield United, and he looks likely to be a starter next season.

Marvin Johnson performed admirably at left-back in the second half of last season, but he is a winger by trade, and Rohl will be keen to deploy a more natural option in that role.

Lowe made just 10 appearances for the Blades in an injury-disrupted campaign last season as they were relegated from the Premier League, but there is no doubt he can be a quality performer in the Championship when fit.

CM: Archie Collins

The departure of Vaulks, who was voted Wednesday's Player of the Season last term, has left a huge void in the Owls' midfield, and Rohl will need to bring in at least one holding midfielder this summer.

Wednesday should consider making a move for Peterborough United midfielder Archie Collins, who scored four goals and provided four assists in 57 games last season after joining the club from Exeter City.

Posh owner Darragh MacAnthony questioned why Collins is still playing in League One, and he even suggested he should be on the radar of Premier League clubs, so he could be a shrewd option for the Owls for a relatively affordable fee.

CM: Barry Bannan

Bannan joined Wednesday on a free transfer from Crystal Palace in August 2015, and it is fair to say he has established himself as a club legend over the last nine years.

There were question marks over whether Bannan could still perform at Championship level, but he certainly silenced those doubters last season.

Bannan scored just one goal and provided three assists in 45 appearances in all competitions, but those stats do not reflect his influence on the team, and after signing a new contract, he will no doubt remain a key player for Wednesday next term.

RW: Anass Zaroury

If Wednesday are to mount a surprise play-off challenge next season, they will need to make a few high-profile signings before the end of the transfer window.

One such player they could target is Burnley winger Anass Zaroury, who spent the second half of last season on loan at Hull City.

Zaroury scored 10 goals and registered six assists in 39 games as the Clarets won the Championship title in the 2022-23 season, and if he is surplus to requirements at Turf Moor next term, the Owls should make an ambitious move.

AM: Josh Windass

After weeks of uncertainty over his future, forward Josh Windass signed a new contract at Hillsborough this week.

It was thought to be unlikely that Windass would remain at the club after talks over a new deal broke down, and he was reportedly attracting interest from Derby County, Stoke City, Coventry City, Hull City and West Bromwich Albion, but he committed his future to Wednesday after a late push from Rohl.

Windass scored seven goals and provided two assists in 28 appearances last season, including netting three goals in the last three games, and having started virtually every game when fit under Rohl, he looks likely to remain a regular next term.

LW: Jamal Lowe

Wednesday completed the signing of Lowe last month after his release by Bournemouth, fighting off competition from Watford, Norwich City, Ipswich Town, Middlesbrough, Millwall, Portsmouth and Derby.

Lowe scored nine goals in 35 appearances during his loan spell at Swansea City last season, and he will offer the Owls useful versatility with his ability to play out wide or up front.

Anthony Musaba, Djeidi Gassama and new signing Olaf Kobacki will all be pushing to start in the wide areas, but Lowe could be a dangerous threat on the left for Wednesday.

ST: Tom Cannon

Given their lack of goals last season, strengthening the forward line will be a priority for Wednesday this summer.

Striker Tom Cannon has been a long-term target for the Owls, and they were said to be keen on him last summer, but he instead made a permanent move to Leicester City for a fee of £7.5 million.

However, Cannon struggled for game time at the King Power Stadium last season, and his future at the club is uncertain after he made just one substitute appearance in the final two months of the campaign.

Cannon will have no shortage of suitors if he becomes available this summer, but Wednesday will be in a much better position to land his signature this time around, and he could be the prolific goalscorer they desperately need.