Sheffield Wednesday set for new transfer blow inflicted by Chelsea | OneFootball

Sheffield Wednesday wonderkid Yisa Alao is closing in on a move to Chelsea this January.

Sheffield Wednesday are set to be dealt another transfer blow, this time by Premier League giants Chelsea, who are 'edging closer' to securing the signature of an Owls youngster.

The situation at Sheffield Wednesday remains fairly dire amid the January transfer window. Whilst many clubs look to strengthen their respective squads, the Yorkshire club are hoping to make it to the end of the window without losing their best players.

So far, we've already seen the likes of Barry Bannan and Bailey Cadamarteri linked with moves away from Hillsborough this month, and there could yet be more names joining that list of potential departures.

With a buyer yet to be found to take over from the administrators who finally got Dejphon Chansiri out of power at the club, uncertainty still lingers over Wednesday's long-term future, and some of their players will be keen to find a new home in the near future.

Sheffield Wednesday set to be dealt transfer blow by Chelsea

One of those is teenage starlet Yisa Alao, who has been on the radar of plenty of Premier League clubs recently, and is now closing in on a move to Chelsea, according to reports from the Sheffield Star.

We're all familiar with the story unfolding on the blue side of the Steel City, as Sheffield Wednesday find themselves cut off at the bottom of the Championship following a hefty points deduction, and unable to sign any players for fees until next January.

With that in mind, clubs have started circling around some of the Owls' most valuable and important assets, as they look to bag a bargain deal from the financially-stricken club.

Having already seen multiple senior players touted for moves away from Hillsborough this month, it seems nobody's future is set in stone, as teenage starlet Alao is reportedly now closing in on a move to Premier League powerhouse Chelsea.

According to the Sheffield Star, the 17-year-old has seen interest from Liverpool, Manchester United, and Manchester City in recent weeks, but Chelsea have won the race to secure the highly-rated prospect's signature.

The Blues will reportedly pay Wednesday a 'high six-figure fee' to bring Alao to Stamford Bridge, which certainly won't go amiss given the current state of play at the Yorkshire club.

Alao has racked up five competitive appearances for the Owls, and impressed on his full debut against Portsmouth on Saturday. This becomes even more impressive when you consider the fact he isn't even on professional terms at the club.

Of course, losing such a highly-rated prodigy will be bitterly disappointing for Wednesday supporters, but their need for an injection of cash definitely outweighs any benefits of keeping him at the club currently.

Alao isn't a regular starter for Henrik Pedersen's side, and whilst he has the potential to become a key player for them, sanctioning a sale of him for a big fee is arguably the best decision the club can make from a financial perspective, without significantly weakening their squad.

All-in-all, this move seems best for all parties, and whilst it will be disappointing for Sheffield Wednesday to lose a top prospect, the fee they receive will certainly soften that blow.