'It could make sense' - Sheffield Wednesday move for Man City man debated | OneFootball

FLW's Sheffield Wednesday fan pundit isn't getting too carried away with the prospect of signing Jaden Heskey permanently next summer

Sheffield Wednesday underwent a massive refresh on the field this past summer, with 18 new arrivals across the transfer window.

The majority of those were new faces, but the new higher-ups at Hillsborough ensured that some players who were familiar with the way the club operates and with the demands of Henrik Pedersen helped kick-start their League One rebuild, too.

Barry Bannan was the more high-profile returning star, but also continuing his career at Hillsborough was Manchester City youngster Jaden Heskey, who filled the gap left by the departing Scotsman in the engine room back in January.

Heskey captained the City Under-21s side in the first half of last season before heading out on his first professional loan deal. The 20-year-old put in some strong performances in what were massively challenging circumstances with the Owls in administration.

Jaden Heskey's time in League One so far

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Wednesday fans were excited to see what Heskey could do at a level below the Championship and now for a side expected to have the majority of the ball at senior level — a style he's incredibly used to in the youth sides at Manchester City.

His first two appearances were night and day in terms of performance. He came off the bench for his second debut against Wycombe Wanderers and did a great job securing the three points, so much so that he was handed a start in the following game against Peterborough United.

That game at London Road didn't go as planned, with Heskey subbed off before the hour mark. He was then left out of the following game against Wigan Athletic, as Wednesday currently have more loanees than they're permitted to have in a matchday squad.

It was a big reminder that things won't be completely smooth sailing for the 20-year-old, but his inclusion in the last two games in all competitions shows that he's seen as an important part of Henrik Pedersen's side.

Sheffield Wednesday fan pundit holding judgement over a Jaden Heskey permanent move after his first month back at Hillsborough

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There's no doubting Heskey's potential, given his prominence in one of the best academies in England, and in terms of his ceiling, he could find himself playing regularly in the Premier League.

FLW's Sheffield Wednesday fan pundit, Patrick McKenna, is looking forward to seeing more of the 20-year-old in a better environment, admitting it was difficult to conclude Heskey as a player in their Championship side last year.

"I think, with Jaden Heskey, we have a good opportunity this season to judge him and then make a decision in the summer," he said, regarding the prospect of signing him permanently.

"Last season, we couldn't get a fair judgement on him, but this season, things are different, so I think he will get a decent bit of game time, and it's up to him to show us what he can do.

"I would have some confidence that he could have a good season for us; I do think there's definitely a player there who could make a solid contribution to our season."

However, despite his clear promise, McKenna is reserving judgement over whether Heskey should be pursued permanently by Sheffield Wednesday in the summer. The fan pundit wants to see more before that decision is made.

"If he performs and maybe becomes available to us in the summer at a low price, it could make sense," he continued. "But it's probably too early to make a judgement, and I don't think our recruitment team will be making one either.

"But yeah, certainly positive signs early on."

Jaden Heskey would be a perfect permanent addition as Sheffield Wednesday look to rebuild their squad

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While this past summer was very busy and quite entertaining for Sheffield Wednesday fans due to the sheer volume of new players being brought in, the rebuild on the pitch is far from over.

The Owls were under budget restrictions this past summer and will be until the end of next season, too, so there'll still be more of an onus on frees and loans to bolster the squad. That being said, there'll be room for a few key signings for fees, too.

The likes of Louie Barry and Jordi Liongola arrived for undisclosed fees, and both, you'd expect, will be key parts of the Wednesday squad for quite some time as they look to climb back up the EFL.

Heskey, at 20, has massive potential to grow, and could also improve alongside Sheffield Wednesday as a club, helping them into the Championship and then potentially even the Premier League, too.

As far as project signings go, Heskey has all the credentials to be a perfect one. But that's mainly based on his potential. If he can show he's a top-end League One midfielder this season, a permanent move may become a no-brainer.