Henrik Pedersen drops Sheffield Wednesday, Man Utd transfer update - it may affect Stoke City | OneFootball

The Wednesday boss has a belief that a fresh deal can be struck with Manchester United for the 18-year-old

Harry Amass' future remains up in the air after his Sheffield Wednesday loan spell came to an end, with the Owls among a number of second-tier outifts looking to bring the highly-rated defender back to the Championship.

The Sheffield Star reports that, despite there being more lucrative cash offers from other Championship sides this January, Wednesday boss Henrik Pedersen believes a return could be on the cards.

The Owls have endured a difficult campaign on the pitch, with a depleted senior squad riddled with injuries forcing Pedersen to rely on several young, inexperienced names throughout the Championship season.

However, one bright spark from this saw the emergence of Amass, who was the only outfielder Wednesday were permitted to bring in on loan during the summer transfer window.

The 18-year-old gained invaluable experience during his first loan spell away from parent club Manchester United, starting every Championship game he was available for, and winning back-to-back club Player of the Month awards, until his deal ran out at the start of January.

Henrik Pedersen outlines Harry Amass wishes at Sheffield Wednesday

Because of the exposure to first-team football at Hillsborough, Henrik Pedersen has previously stated that Amass has expressed a desire to remain at Sheffield Wednesday for the remainder of the campaign.

The likes of Stoke City and Watford have been linked with a move for the 18-year-old since he returned to Manchester United, who would provide a better squad for Amass to play in and the opportunity for the Red Devils to make some money, with Wednesday currently restricted to no-fee loans.

However, despite Wednesday's financial difficulties compared to the other interested clubs, the Owls' manager has a belief that the left-sided utility man will remain at Hillsborough.

"With Harry, there is good communication, but we've not finalised anything. So in the end, I don't know where that will end, but I'm still positive," Pedersen told the Sheffield Star.

"I think I'm between hopeful and confident about it. It's more than just hope, because there is also a belief that it can happen.

"But there are still many circumstances in the big picture. However, I have hope and belief that it can still happen. So let's see how things go in the next few days."

Pedersen has admitted that he would like to see some progress on the decision shortly, as a failure to recapture the services of Amass would force Wednesday to look elsewhere.

With just over two weeks remaining of the transfer window, there wouldn't be much time to secure a replacement.

"I hope that there will be a decision soon, because otherwise we will have to think about what we will do instead of him."

First-team football exposure will work in potential Sheffield Wednesday, Harry Amass return

There's no doubt that Amass will continue to be one of the first names on the teamsheet at Sheffield Wednesday if a return can be made sometime this month, and ultimately, that would likely trump any other aspect in a loan move.

While a loan fee or a percentage of the wage being covered would be optimal for Manchester United, the progression of their player takes precedence, and with Wednesday, progression is a guarantee.

The Premier League giants have already seen how the 18-year-old has improved throughout the opening half of the campaign, even if Wednesday continue to struggle as a whole on the pitch, and Henrik Pedersen is hopeful that this can ensure Amass remains at Hillsborough.

QPR shot-stopper Murphy Cooper and Manchester City youngster Jaden Heskey are heavily linked with loan moves to Sheffield Wednesday in the coming weeks, both of which were first reported exclusively by Football League World, and those, plus an Amass return, would resemble a decent winter window for the Owls.