Barry Bannan back to Sheffield Wednesday? Exciting Owls transfer update emerges | OneFootball

The Owls have been discussing the potential return of their beloved former captain.

Barry Bannan left Sheffield Wednesday for Millwall during the January transfer window, with the midfielder ending his 10-and-a-half year association in doing so.

In that decade, the Scot was the heartbeat at Hillsborough — a diminutive midfielder but with a giant influence, dictating tempo, driving standards, and absolutely dragging the team forward when it mattered most. In every sense, he became a modern Wednesday legend.

Now 36, he will eventually retire associated to Wednesday more than any other club. He made 86 appearances for Aston Villa - the club with which he spent the second most time - and it pales in comparison to the 477 games in the blue and white of Wednesday.

In fact, Bannan visited Sheffield Wednesday recently for a charity event and his love and affection for the city, club, and supporters remains without question. He has so far made eight appearances for Millwall, with four as a starter, and two games where he was an unused substitute.

Whilst Wednesday have been relegated for some time now, the Lions and Alex Neil could yet move the other direction. They are currently fourth and in a fight with the likes of Middlesbrough and Ipswich Town for promotion.

Exciting Sheffield Wednesday transfer update involving Millwall's Barry Bannan

Should he seal promotion, it will be the third of Bannan's career and his second to the Premier League following a loan spell with Blackpool. How likely he is to be used in the top flight remains unclear, especially given his age.

It could mean Bannan moves on in the summer. Many Wednesday fans would love for him to return home. He did so recently, with Bannan returning to Hillsborough not long ago in a Millwall shirt.

The 36-year-old signed an 18-month contract for Neil’s side in the winter, which takes him through until 2027. His departure from S6 came about largely because of a lack of clarity on what the future would hold amid the long-running and eventually failed James Bord bid.

Now, with the Arise consortium of David Storch and co. hoping to wrap up a deal to buy the club before the end of the season, Joe Crann has revealed that he is of the understanding that a potential reunion with Bannan has already been discussed behind the scenes at Sheffield Wednesday.

Bannan's other promotion was from League One and the talismanic midfielder played a vital role in promotion, which is why many would welcome a reunion with open arms should a return become a reality in the summer transfer window.

It's stated that, att this point, it’s "just internal discussions that have taken place". Whether a deal is feasible for Bannan or not "remains to be seen". However, the understanding is there’s a desire to get the former skipper back for the League One rebuild.

Barry Bannan may return to Sheffield Wednesday next season

For all the disappointment surrounding his exit, it would be no surprise if Bannan and Sheffield Wednesday were destined to cross paths again in a footballing sense one day. Inarguably, some relationships in football have a certain permanence forever.

Bannan’s bond with Hillsborough supporters is certainly one of them. A short-term return as an experienced head in the dressing room would not be the strangest reunion within the next year or so. That final chapter has to be written if they can agree a deal with Millwall.

Wednesday would need a lot to go right away from the pitch for that. But they need a leader, and he is constantly organising, demanding, and orchestrating younger teammates through matches. With this young core, it could be a no-brainer.

His understanding of Wednesday’s pressures would make him a popular and potentially powerful figure behind the scenes, too. Whether in boots or even on the touchline one day as a coach, it is easy to imagine Bannan back in South Yorkshire very soon.