David Storch's mixed emotions as Sheffield Wednesday face big Barry Bannan dilemma | OneFootball

Sheffield Wednesday are keen to bring former captain Barry Bannan back to Hillsborough, but owner David Storch may feel conflicted about the deal.

A new era is underway at Sheffield Wednesday after David Storch completed his takeover of the club.

It was a nightmare campaign for Wednesday this season as they were relegated from the Championship after picking up just two wins and having a total of 18 points deducted, while they also spent over six months in administration after former owner Dejphon Chansiri's exit in October.

However, after a difficult period, Storch's Arise Capital Partners consortium finalised their takeover of the Owls earlier this month, and that was not the only piece of good news for the South Yorkshire outfit.

Wednesday will not be hit with a 15-point deduction in League One next season after Chansiri was deemed to have been obstructive in Storch's attempts to strike a deal with him over his debt, and they will also not be subject to a £7,000 weekly wage cap or a £7 million seasonal spend limit.

New CEO David Bruce confirmed this week that the Owls will still face some restrictions on their transfer activity for at least the next year, but the easing of some limitations could allow the club to pursue some ambitious targets this summer.

Sheffield Wednesday plotting Barry Bannan reunion amid Millwall exit talk

While Wednesday are looking ahead to what they hope will be an exciting new chapter under Storch's ownership, it seems they could be set to turn to a familiar face to lead their League One promotion charge.

After scoring 37 goals and providing 75 assists in 477 games during a 10-and-a-half year spell with the Owls, midfielder Barry Bannan departed Hillsborough in January to join Championship promotion hopefuls Millwall.

Bannan helped the Lions to a third-placed finish, but his side were beaten by Hull City in their play-off semi-final, and the 36-year-old has been limited to a bit-part role at The Den so far, with only six of his 16 appearances since his arrival coming from the start.

It was reported by The Wednesday Word last month that Wednesday had held internal talks about the possibility of bringing Bannan back to the club this summer, and The Star claimed last week that his return "remains a possibility", despite Millwall's play-off heartbreak.

In a further boost for the Owls, journalist Alan Nixon revealed that the Lions will not stand in Bannan's way if he wishes to re-join his former club, which could open the door for Storch to strike a deal.

While Bannan's stance on the potential move is unknown at this stage, it seems likely he would be keen on a return to Wednesday, having regularly stated his desire to remain at the club for the rest of his career prior to his January exit, which is said to have been motivated by concerns over James Bord's consortium, who were the preferred bidders at the time.

David Storch may have reservations about Barry Bannan, Sheffield Wednesday return

Some Wednesday supporters may still be disappointed in Bannan for walking away from the club in January during their hour of need, but many of the Hillsborough faithful would welcome their former captain back with open arms.

That sentiment would likely be shared by Owls manager Henrik Pedersen, who is known to have had a strong relationship with Bannan, and there is no doubt that the Scot would be a real asset for the club in League One next season.

Despite not being a regular starter, Bannan has shown glimpses of his quality during his time at Millwall, notably changing the game for the Lions after coming off the bench in a promotion six-pointer at Middlesbrough last month, so if he can still perform at the top end of the Championship, he is more than capable of starring in the third tier.

However, the prospect of having to replace Bannan has long been a worry for Wednesday, and rather than kicking the can down the road even further, it could be argued that now is the perfect time to move on from the midfielder as the club enters a new era and undergoes a squad overhaul.

As the Owls assemble their new-look squad, Storch may be reluctant to build the team around Bannan as he comes towards the end of his career, and he may be keen to pursue younger signings who can not only deliver on the pitch in the present, but also make the club a profit when sold in the future.

With Wednesday exploring a deal for Bannan and Millwall thought to be willing to allow him to depart, it seems inevitable that he will be back at Hillsborough next season, but, deep down, Storch may be tempted to pull the plug on his sentimental return.