My Sheffield Wednesday transfer deadline day dream involves signing Nottingham Forest man | OneFootball

The arrival of Nottingham Forest striker Emmanuel Dennis could be the perfect end to a frustrating transfer window for Sheffield Wednesday.

It has been an incredibly frustrating January transfer window for Sheffield Wednesday, but they will be hoping to do business before Monday's deadline.

After narrowly avoiding relegation last season, Wednesday have made clear progress under manager Danny Rohl this season, and they have emerged as surprise play-off contenders in recent months.

However, while everything has been positive on the pitch for the Owls, the same cannot be said for events behind the scenes, and a public dispute between Rohl and owner Dejphon Chansiri has overshadowed the club's transfer window.

It is believed that Rohl and Chansiri's disagreement started when the German was denied a move to Southampton in December following the sacking of Russell Martin, and that sparked a breakdown in communication between the pair.

At an explosive fan forum two weeks ago, Chansiri confirmed that he had not spoken to Rohl since December, and he also revealed that no discussions had taken place with the manager about potential January transfer targets.

Much to the relief of Wednesday supporters, Rohl and Chansiri have now resolved their differences, and they are working on strengthening the squad before the deadline, but there is no doubt that their standoff cost the club vital weeks of the window.

Sheffield Wednesday weighing up Emmanuel Dennis move

While there has been a distinct lack of new additions, it has not been all bad news for Wednesday supporters in January, and the club did at least manage to reach a deal to keep hold of on-loan Southampton midfielder Shea Charles until the end of the season, fighting off competition from Steel City rivals Sheffield United.

However, Charles was already part of the Owls' squad in the first half of the campaign, and if they are to achieve a top six finish, they will need to bring in more quality before the end of the window.

The Star revealed last week that one player on Wednesday's radar is Nottingham Forest striker Emmanuel Dennis, with the 27-year-old said to be "one of a number of forward players" under consideration by the South Yorkshire outfit.

However, the deal for Dennis would reportedly be a "tricky deal to pull off should they make him a prime target", and journalist Alan Nixon claimed that his former club Watford are keen to bring him back to Vicarage Road, while he is also attracting interest from abroad.

Dennis has not featured for Forest since May 2023, and the Premier League side are looking to offload his £4 million per year salary, but finances are likely to be a big problem for the Owls, who are said to be "well short on terms" at this point.

Emmanuel Dennis signing would be a statement of intent from Sheffield Wednesday

It seems as though it will be difficult for Wednesday to complete a deal for Dennis before the end of the transfer window, but it may be worth pushing the boat out to land his signature.

Dennis has endured a frustrating few years since his £20 million move to Forest in the summer of 2022, but his ability cannot be questioned, and his arrival would significantly boost the Owls' play-off hopes, particularly given the lack of goals from their existing strikers this season.

While Watford suffered relegation from the Premier League in the 2021-22 season after a dismal campaign, Dennis made a big impression on an individual level in his first season in English football, and his form convinced Forest to pay a hefty transfer fee for his services.

It is fair to say that it has not worked out for Dennis at the City Ground, with the striker netting just twice in 25 games for the club, and he also had an underwhelming loan stint at Turkish side Istanbul Basaksehir in the first half of last season, during which he failed to score in eight appearances.

However, Dennis returned to Watford on a temporary basis last January, and while he did only score four goals in 17 games for the Hornets, he did show glimpses of his quality, most notably with his excellent strike in the 2-2 draw against Leeds United in March.

Of course, it would be a gamble for Wednesday to sign a player that has not delivered consistently now for over two-and-a-half years, but Rohl could be the perfect manager to help get him back to the levels he showed in the top flight during his time at Vicarage Road.

After coming in for strong criticism from supporters following his fall-out with Rohl, securing a deal for Dennis would also enable Chansiri to silence some of his doubters and quash the allegation that he has not backed his manager in the transfer market.