Barry Bannan to Sheffield Wednesday transfer update emerges | OneFootball

The midfielder has been heavily linked with a return to Hillsborough.

Barry Bannan's name has been on everyone's lips as Sheffield Wednesday plan for their return to League One next season.

The 36-year-old is considered a modern-day club legend at Hillsborough but departed the South Yorkshire club for Millwall in January, where he has made little impact.

It felt inevitable that there would be talk of a summer return to the Owls, and now that Wednesday are in a better situation under David Storch, it feels like that chatter could become a reality.

However, how soon could a deal for the Scot materialise? Now, there has been an intriguing update on a potential transfer.

Sheffield Wednesday not close to Barry Bannan deal

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Reports emerged last week that Millwall are willing to part ways with Bannan after just six months at the club and that formal talks over a return had somewhat commenced.

The midfielder has a year remaining on his contract at The Den, but given his age and competition for places, it would be unsurprising if he was allowed to leave this summer.

Bannan made 16 appearances for the Lions, including two in the Championship play-offs, but he mostly featured as a substitute under head coach Alex Neil.

Contract talks with a number of players are understood to be heading in the right direction, and work has been done to outline potential incoming transfer deals, including that of club legend Bannan, according to The Star.

However, the publication also reports that rumours of an especially imminent announcement of that deal are wide of the mark as new owners Arise continue on the expected timeline of exiting administration.

Why Bannan saga will likely drag on all summer

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Given that The Star has stated that Wednesday's new owners are still focused on exiting administration, it suggests that news of incoming transfers may have to wait.

Before Sheffield Wednesday can seal any potential incomings, they may also want to tie up deals for Max Lowe and Gui Siqueira, with whom the club confirmed they were in dialogue as their contracts are set to expire at the end of June.

The feeling is that Bannan would welcome a return to Hillsborough, so convincing him should not be much of an issue, but his contract at The Den remains a potential barrier.

Wednesday are still not allowed to pay transfer fees for players after their financial difficulties under Dejphon Chansiri, so they would have to negotiate a free transfer or for the player to mutually terminate his contract with Millwall.

Once that happens, then a return to South Yorkshire would seem like a formality, and it would be up for the player and the club to agree personal terms.

The midfielder has made the sixth-highest number of appearances for the Owls, and should he return, then he would be well-placed to overtake fellow Scot Andrew Wilson's 546.