Pep Guardiola loved Barry Bannan - Sheffield Wednesday then named £85m price | OneFootball

Barry Bannan came under praise from Pep Guardiola after an FA Cup meeting between Sheffield Wednesday and Manchester City

Barry Bannan, to almost all Sheffield Wednesday fans, hit legendary status throughout the decade he spent at Hillsborough before he reluctantly departed back in January this year.

The Scotsman currently sits fifth on the all-time appearance ladder for the famous South Yorkshire side, and has endured all the highs and lows the club has had to offer in the past 11 years.

Bannan stuck around at Sheffield Wednesday after their relegation to League One in 2021, which came about after a points deduction following PSR rule breaches. At that point, it seemed almost certain that the midfielder would leave.

Indeed, Bannan was a class above the rest during the late 2010s, and every summer, Wednesday fans held their breath regarding a potential sale. But every time, he stayed, despite having admirers at the highest level.

Barry Bannan put on a show in front of Pep Guardiola in an FA Cup match in 2020

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The 2019/20 campaign ended up being the third consecutive Championship season with Wednesday finishing in mid-table. A far cry from the back-to-back play-off finishes and the first real signs that the Dejphon Chansiri era wouldn't end up being the happiest at Hillsborough.

However, there were still positive moments, especially for Bannan, who registered 10 goal contributions across that season and put in a great display in their FA Cup fifth-round exit against Manchester City.

In what was the penultimate matchup before football stopped for three months due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Pep Guardiola's side travelled to South Yorkshire to take on Gary Monk's Owls and came away with a 1-0 win via a second-half effort from Sergio Agüero.

Wednesday didn't threaten too much, but Bannan put in a solid performance, completing 77% of his passes, both of his dribbles and registering eight defensive contributions.

Most impressive of all, though, the then-30-year-old nutmegged City and Spanish legend David Silva midway through the first half, something that Hillsborough responded well to.

Pep Guardiola's comments after Barry Bannan's performance against Manchester City

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It's well-known how much respect Pep Guardiola has for the English football pyramid. The legendary Spanish boss stated back in February that playing away at a League One or League Two club is "one of the most enjoyable memories" he'll have from managing in England.

He was also spotted watching Stockport County's 0-0 draw with Port Vale back in late April while PSG and Bayern Munich played out arguably the best game of the entire season in the UEFA Champions League semi-finals.

So, it's no surprise that the former Manchester City boss had personally done his homework on the then-Championship outfit and heaped praise upon Bannan after the game.

“I’m not the guy to judge them, so I think my colleague (Garry Monk) can explain better, but we knew about the physicality," he said. "Bannan is an incredible player with quality who made the passes for the fast players up front."

He even stated that their approach play on the night was why they didn't opt to play Atdhe Nuhiu, one of the premier target men the second tier has seen in recent years.

“I think they look for people faster. That’s why they didn’t play with Nuhiu, but we controlled them, and we didn’t concede many set pieces, and the second balls were good. I think we deserved to win.”

Gary Monk laid down Sheffield Wednesday, Barry Bannan transfer demands following Pep Guardiola's comments

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Following those comments by Guardiola, Wednesday boss Gary Monk was jokingly asked whether he was worried about the Premier League giants launching a bid for his star midfielder.

And, in a similar unserious tone, Monk responded, "Not very worried at all, to be honest with you. If he’s got £85 million, we’ll take that!”

Ironically, £85 million would have been much appreciated at Hillsborough at the time, with the Owls being found guilty of breaching the EFL's spending rules just four months later.

That 12-point deduction, which was later reduced to six, would contribute to their relegation to League One the following season, as the Owls finished just three points adrift of safety.

Barry Bannan's contributions to Sheffield Wednesday have been priceless

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At the time of that cup defeat against Manchester City, Bannan was only in his fifth season at Sheffield Wednesday, and while he was seen as one of their best players, he wasn't nearly as beloved amongst Owls fans as he is now.

That 2019/20 campaign was the last full term at Wednesday that was anything close to normal under Dejphon Chansiri. From 2020 until he finally relinquished control in 2025, the club endured some really difficult campaigns.

However, throughout all that, Bannan stayed loyal to Sheffield Wednesday, sticking with them in League One when he was miles above the level and still contributing during their recent stint in the Championship.

He left for Millwall in January, with the club's future in limbo during the period of exclusivity under James Bord, something which he has since said he didn't want to do, and as soon as the club were under the Arise ownership, he wanted to come back — which he did.

Bannan's love for Sheffield Wednesday knows no bounds, and the feeling is mutual across the fanbase. Even if an £85 million bid came in, who knows if the 36-year-old would have wanted to leave?