Football League World
·28 September 2024
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·28 September 2024
We looked at how much Sheffield Wednesday's strikers are estimated to be earning each week.
Sheffield Wednesday will be hoping for a much-improved campaign in the Championship this season.
Wednesday only narrowly avoided relegation last term following a remarkable turnaround under Danny Rohl, but their form over the second half of the season offered plenty of hope that they could climb the table this campaign.
The positivity around the club increased further after a strong summer transfer window that saw 11 new signings arrive at Hillsborough, but it has been a difficult start to the season for the Owls.
Rohl was given strong backing this summer, but most of Wednesday's signings were loans or free transfers, continuing owner Dejphon Chansiri's policy of investing mostly in wages rather than transfer fees.
If the Owls are to be successful this season, they will need their strikers to provide the goals required to fire them up the table, and we looked at how much the club's forwards are estimated to be earning each week.
All figures are according to Capology, and it should be stressed that they are an estimate.
Ike Ugbo is estimated to be Wednesday's highest paid striker, earning £20,000-a-week and £1,040,000-a-year.
In fact, that makes Ugbo the Owls' joint-second biggest earner overall alongside Yan Valery, Dominic Iorfa and Nathaniel Chalobah, with only captain Barry Bannan (£24,038-a-week) taking home more.
Ugbo initially joined Wednesday on loan from French side Troyes in January, and he played a crucial role in their survival last season, scoring seven goals and providing one assist in 19 appearances.
After a lengthy pursuit, the Owls completed the permanent signing of Ugbo last month for a reported fee of around £3 million, fighting off competition from Stoke City, Birmingham City and Queens Park Rangers, but he has struggled to rediscover his form since making a full-time move to Hillsborough.
New signing Jamal Lowe is Wednesday's second-highest paid striker, receiving £18,000-a-week and £936,000-a-year.
The Owls first targeted Lowe last summer, but while they missed out on his signature to Swansea City on that occasion, they managed to get a deal over the line this time around, with the 30-year-old joining the club on a free transfer following his release by Bournemouth.
Lowe scored nine goals during his loan spell with the Swans last season, including netting twice against Wednesday, but he has found it tough in the early stages of his time at Hillsborough.
, but he has failed to build on that positive start, and he will be desperate to add to his tally over the coming weeks.
Michael Smith is next on the list of Wednesday's highest paid strikers, earning £17,500-a-week and £910,00-a-year.
Smith joined the Owls from local rivals Rotherham United in the summer of 2022, and he scored 20 goals and registered eight assists in 49 games to help the club to promotion from League One in his first year at Hillsborough.
The 32-year-old's game time became limited in the Championship last season, and after scoring just four goals in 34 appearances, it was widely expected that he would depart this summer, with Wrexham said to have been among a number of EFL clubs interested in the striker.
However, Smith remained in South Yorkshire, and with many of his fellow strikers struggling for form so far this season, he could have a bigger role to play than many had expected.
Charlie McNeill is Wednesday's lowest paid striker, taking home £2,500-a-week and £130,000-a-year.
McNeill made the move to Hillsborough this summer after his release by Manchester United, with the Owls reportedly beating Lazio, Torino, LA Galaxy and Toronto to his signature.
The 21-year-old enjoyed a dream start to his Wednesday career as he scored twice on his debut in the 2-1 win at Hull City in the EFL Cup last month, but that has not been enough for him to force his way into the team in the league.
It seems that Rohl does not believe McNeill is ready for the Championship just yet, but he is certainly one for the future, and he will be keen to impress whenever he gets an opportunity this season.
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