How Simon Wilson has reacted to Svante Ingelsson’s Sheffield Wednesday exit | OneFootball

Simon Wilson is the new sporting director at Sheffield Wednesday and he has shared the club's view on losing Svante Ingelsson to Stoke City...

Svante Ingelsson spent just two seasons with Sheffield Wednesday in the Championship, with the rebuild in League One underway under David Storch and Simon Wilson and the Swede will not be a part of it after signing for Stoke City.

Signed from Hansa Rostock in 2024, Svante Ingelsson played 79 games for Sheffield Wednesday in his two years at Hillsborough. He scored two and assisted five in his time with the club but Stoke City have added him to their ranks as part of a new-look midfield.

The likes of Ingelsson, Djibril Soumare, and big-money signing Ethan Galbraith will have Stoke fans and Mark Robins hoping for better from their midfield next season, having also moved on Lewis Baker and Steven Nzonzi this summer.

Stoke have been eyeing Ingelsson from Sheffield Wednesday for some time now, with the Potters winning the race over other Championship sides. in this window.

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In the end, Wednesday have received a fee of over £1 million for Ingelsson from Stoke. That is the most significant fee of their summer window so far, with Olaf Kobacki also sold back to Poland.

It will be a busy summer, primarily of incomings, from here on out for the club. Ingelsson was a bright spark in last year's dismal Championship campaign and it was never likely that he would stay in League One, with the 28-year-old penning a three-year deal with Stoke.

Signings are required now but Simon Wilson joining the club from Stockport County could be one of the biggest they make this summer, given his work during their rise up the leagues from the National League North to the third tier.

On Ingelsson’s exit, the Owls' sporting director responded. Speaking via The Star, he said: “We identified Svante as a player we wanted to remain part of our long-term plans and made several attempts to secure his future at Sheffield Wednesday.

“We remained disciplined within the financial and regulatory framework currently governing the club during those discussions, where it also became clear that Svante wanted to return to the Championship should the opportunity arise.

“While we are naturally disappointed to lose a player of his quality, Svante has been excellent throughout this process, and his honesty and collaboration have allowed all parties to work constructively towards a solution.

“We believe this represents a fair outcome for all parties, whilst also giving us immediate clarity as we continue building the squad for the 2026–27 season.”

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Losing Ingelsson to Stoke has to be viewed as a significant blow for Sheffield Wednesday after he established himself as the club's Player of the Season in 2025/26. His power, energy, versatility, and consistent performances made him one of the Owls' standout players, so replacing that level of quality will be far from straightforward.

That is the obvious, but it is made even more problematic by the current makeup of Wednesday's squad as they look to rebuild. At the time of writing, they have just six players aged between 23 and 29, with Yan Valery and Ike Ugbo among that group despite both facing uncertain futures.

While the arrivals of Callum Slattery and Jordi Liongola help address that imbalance, Wednesday still need more players in their peak years to complement their experienced veterans and younger prospects. Ingelsson was exactly the sort of player they should have been building around, making his departure all the more disappointing ahead of a crucial League One campaign.

The money can, and already has, been put to good use but more is required for Sheffield Wednesday in the coming weeks and months. They need quality and more peak-age players ahead of a League One season with plenty of other big and ambitious clubs in the mix for promotion.