Football League World
·13 June 2024
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·13 June 2024
Sheffield Wednesday retain an interest in free agent Ovie Ejaria, but interest from across Europe means they face a real battle to sign the midfielder.
Danny Rohl is gearing up for his first full season in charge of the Owls, after making an outstanding impact at Hillsborough following his appointment in October.
The German kept Wednesday up on the final day against all odds after inheriting a club that seemed destined to return to League One straight away.
With Rohl agreeing a new long-term contract last month, attention has turned to the transfer window, as the club looks to back the head coach as he tries to deliver on the long-term project he has in mind.
And, one player on the radar of the Yorkshire outfit is Ejaria, with the 26-year-old without a club having left Reading midway through the previous season.
Ejaria had been training with the Owls, giving Rohl the chance to assess the player up close, and it had been reported that he is a target for the club, although they have yet to make a firm offer to the ex-Liverpool man.
However, the Sheffield Star has revealed that Wednesday will face competition to land the player, as they state that Ejaria is of ‘particular interest’ to clubs in Turkey and Greece, with one even said to have offered him a deal.
So, it seems as though he could have a decision to make, with Ejaria sure to weigh up his options before making the next call as he looks to get his career back on track.
There will be plenty of factors that Ejaria will weigh up before he makes his next move, but the prospect of him working with Rohl is one that should excite the midfielder.
At his best, Ejaria is a player with a lot of quality, who can travel well with the ball, and he also has an eye for a pass.
Unfortunately, he has struggled for consistency, so working with a coach like Rohl, who has shown he can develop individuals, could be exactly what he needs.
From Wednesday’s perspective, it’s a low-risk move for someone who has a lot of natural talent, and it could pay off handsomely if Ejaria did manage to rediscover his best form.
Following on from that, we know that Wednesday aren’t going to have the biggest budget in the league under Dejphon Chansiri, so Rohl and the recruitment team will have to search for bargains, which is another reason as to why Ejaria is an attractive option.
Clearly, there is a need for reinforcements in the middle of the park, and it makes sense that the boss is searching for more players who are comfortable in possession, as there has been too much of a reliance on Barry Bannan in terms of creativity and moving the ball quickly.
As well as that, there are other areas that need strengthening, but the fans will have full faith in Rohl to get things right after his magnificent start to life at Hillsborough.