SHEFFIELD, ENGLAND - APRIL 13: A detailed view of a Sheffield Wednesday corner flag prior to the Sky Bet Championship match between Sheffield Wednesday and Stoke City at Hillsborough on April 13, 2024 in Sheffield, England. (Photo by Ben Roberts Photo/Getty Images)
SHARP MOVE: another mega star forwarder committed to Sheffield Wednesday just…..
A former target of Sheffield Wednesday has been released by his current club.
During the January transfer window, Sheffield Wednesday were actively seeking a new forward to enhance their chances of avoiding relegation. Despite finishing the season with the second lowest goal tally in the division, the loan acquisition of Ike Ugbo proved sufficient to help them stay up.
Towards the end of the window, Danny Rohl’s side were strongly linked with Duncan McGuire, with initial expectations that they might pursue him again in the summer, though there has been little mention of this recently.
Another striker briefly linked with Wednesday in January was Scott Hogan, who has struggled for playing time at Birmingham City this season. The 32-year-old, described as ‘brilliant’, scored 34 goals in his first four seasons at St Andrews but managed only one goal and eleven starts this term.
Despite his declining form, Wednesday were rumored to be targeting Hogan, though a move never materialized. However, Birmingham has now confirmed that he will leave the club on a free transfer this summer, giving Wednesday a potential opportunity if they are still interested.
Hogan is likely to attract attention in the EFL, although his £11,500-per-week wages might complicate his search for a new club. It’s unlikely Wednesday will meet his wage demands, especially considering he has recently turned 32.
Additionally, Hogan may not be the goalscorer Wednesday needs, and the club might be better off retaining players like Lee Gregory and Michael Smith instead of signing Hogan. Wednesday should focus on younger players to build their squad around, as demonstrated by the positive impact of loan signings Ike Ugbo, James Beadle, and Ian Poveda in the second half of the season.
With Danny Rohl at the helm, Sheffield Wednesday seems to have moved past their poor transfer decisions, and replicating the success of January’s window could leave fans optimistic by the end of the transfer period.
