Michal Helik features: 5 EFL stars who must be on Sheffield Wednesday's transfer shortlist | OneFootball

We looked at five EFL players that Sheffield Wednesday should target before the end of the transfer window.

It is a big summer for Sheffield Wednesday after they secured survival in the Championship.

The Owls looked destined to make an immediate return to League One after a disastrous start to the season under Xisco Munoz, but they achieved safety after a remarkable turnaround under Danny Rohl as they finished 20th in the table.

Wednesday received a huge boost as Rohl signed a new long-term contract at the club in May, and it has been a busy start to the summer as the German looks to rebuild his squad.

Loanees James Beadle, Kristian Pedersen, Jeff Hendrick, Momo Diaby, Ian Poveda, Ike Ugbo, and Ashley Fletcher have returned to their parent clubs, while Ciaran Brennan, Reece James, George Byers, Tyreeq Bakinson, Juan Delgado and Lee Gregory have been released at the end of their contracts.

Cameron Dawson and Will Vaulks have rejected the offer of a new deal to join Rotherham United and Oxford United respectively, but Liam Palmer, Barry Bannan and Josh Windass have committed their futures to the club.

The Owls have been incredibly active in the transfer market so far with a number of new signings arriving at Hillsborough, including the likes of Ben Hamer, Max Lowe, Yan Valery, Svante Ingelsson and Jamal Lowe, and there could be plenty more to come before the end of the window.

As Wednesday continue to bolster their squad, we looked at five EFL players that should be on Rohl's list of targets.

Michal Helik

With Dominic Iorfa and Di'Shon Bernard still yet to sign new contracts at Hillsborough, it may be a position that Wednesday need to strengthen this summer.

Even if the duo remain at the club, Rohl could still look to upgrade his centre-back options, and one player who would certainly fit the bill is Huddersfield Town defender Michal Helik.

Helik was part of the Terriers squad that was relegated from the Championship last season, but he was one of few players to emerge with any credit from a disappointing campaign, and in addition to his strong defensive performances, he scored an impressive nine goals in 42 appearances in all competitions, making him the club's top scorer.

Set pieces were one of the Owls' weaknesses last season, so the addition of Helik would improve them in both boxes, and given the fact he left Barnsley to join Huddersfield after their relegation in 2022, he may be keen to remain in the Championship.

Archie Collins

The departures of Hendrick, Diaby, Vaulks, Byers and Bakinson have left Wednesday incredibly light in midfield, and while they have signed Ingelsson, he is more of a box-to-box player, meaning they still need someone capable of performing the holding role.

It is unlikely to be a position that the Owls are keen to spend too much money on, so one affordable option they could target is Peterborough United midfielder Archie Collins.

Collins joined the Posh from Exeter City last summer, and he scored four goals and provided four assists in 57 appearances in all competitions last season as Darren Ferguson's side reached the play-offs in League One and won the EFL Trophy.

The 24-year-old was one of Peterborough's standout performers, and he earned praise from owner Darragh MacAnthony, who questioned how he is still playing in the third tier.

"Archie Collins is the Tom Brady of our side," MacAnthony said on his Hard Truth podcast, quoted by the Peterborough Telegraph.

"How is he still in League One? The way he plays, Premier League clubs should be looking at him. Ronnie Edwards is a quarter-back for us, but Collins is the main quarter-back. He’s comfortably one of the best central midfielders in League One.

"We did well to get him and credit to the manager and his coaches for developing a style of play which suits the players we have."

After the Posh failed to win promotion, they could be vulnerable to losing some of their key players this summer, and for what would be a relatively small fee, Collins would be a shrewd signing for Wednesday.

Ruben Rodrigues

As well as adding defensive protection to the midfield, Rohl will also be keen to bring in some more creative options in the middle of the park this summer.

One player who would be capable of providing that is Oxford United midfielder Ruben Rodrigues, who scored nine goals and registered seven assists in 54 appearances in all competitions last season.

Rodrigues showed his class as he provided two assists in the U's 2-0 win over Bolton Wanderers in the League One play-off final at Wembley in May, and it was a performance that suggests he is certainly ready to make the step up to the Championship.

Oxford will be reluctant to lose Rodrigues this summer, and the fact they are now a second tier club will increase their chances of keeping hold of him, but the Owls should test their resolve as the 27-year-old is a player who could thrive under Rohl.

Many are tipping Wednesday for a much-improved season next term given their strong summer business, but if they are to seriously challenge for the play-offs, they will need to make a few high-profile signings over the coming months.

One potentially realistic loan signing for the Owls this summer could be Burnley winger Anass Zaroury, and he would certainly be a game changer if he arrived at Hillsborough.

Zaroury scored 10 goals and registered six assists in 39 appearances in all competitions for the Clarets as they won the Championship title in the 2022-23 campaign, but after falling out of favour in the Premier League, he spent the second half of last season on loan at Hull City.

It remains to be seen whether Zaroury will be brought back into the fold after Burnley's relegation, but if he becomes available again, Wednesday should join the race for his signature.

Macaulay Langstaff

Wednesday have already strengthened their forward line with the signing of Lowe, but he is unlikely to be the last striker to arrive at Hillsborough this summer.

Securing a return for Troyes striker Ike Ugbo after his successful loan spell last season will be Rohl's main priority, but Notts County's Macaulay Langstaff could be an exciting alternative option.

Langstaff joined Notts from Gateshead in the summer of 2022, and he scored 41 goals in 47 appearances to help the Magpies to promotion from the National League in his first year at the club.

The 27-year-old continued his fine form in League Two as he scored 29 goals in 49 games last season, making him the top scorer in the EFL, and he is attracting plenty of Championship interest this summer.

Swansea City, who are managed by Langstaff's former Notts manager Luke Williams, are believed to be keen on the striker, while Millwall made a bid for him last week and have now seemingly agreed a deal with the Magpies.

Langstaff would be a big gamble for the Owls, but he has been a prolific goalscorer at every level of football he has played at, and it would be no surprise to see him adapt to the Championship - Wednesday would have to move very quick now though to hijack the deal of the Lions.