Sheffield Wednesday backed to make transfer u-turn | OneFootball

FLW's Sheffield Wednesday fan pundit has given his reaction to the club's reported interest in Doncaster Rovers midfielder Owen Bailey.

It is set to be a busy summer for Sheffield Wednesday following the takeover by David Storch.

Wednesday were relegated from the Championship last season during what was a nightmare campaign on and off the pitch, but after a turbulent period, Storch's Arise Capital Partners consortium completed their takeover of the club last month.

While Storch is sticking with manager Henrik Pedersen, the American has appointed David Bruce as CEO as he reshapes the club's boardroom structure, while Simon Wilson has joined as sporting director following his departure from Stockport County.

As their squad rebuild begins, the Owls made their first signing of the summer this week as defender Ricardo Santos arrived from Swansea City, and further new additions may not be too far away, with Football Insider reporting that Doncaster Rovers midfielder Owen Bailey is on the radar of the South Yorkshire outfit.

Bailey scored 16 goals and provided seven assists in 55 appearances for Rovers last season to help them to a 14th-placed finish in their first year back in League One, and that earned him a spot in the third tier's Team of the Season.

It seems Bailey's impressive performances at the Eco-Power Stadium have not gone unnoticed, and Wednesday are not the only third tier side keeping tabs on the 27-year-old, with Bradford City, MK Dons, Oxford United and Stockport also said to be keen.

There's been a twist heading into the weekend, though, with the Sheffield Star reporting that Bailey isn't an 'active' target right now, despite being on the Owls' radar earlier in the summer.

Sheffield Wednesday backed to land Doncaster Rovers star Owen Bailey

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When asked for his thoughts on the club's interest in Bailey, FLW's Sheffield Wednesday fan pundit Patrick McKenna insisted that the Doncaster man would be a strong signing, and he claimed that the Owls' close proximity to the midfielder's current club could give them an advantage in the race for his signature.

"Owen Bailey has really come on in his career in the past few seasons, which is a real credit to him," Patrick told FLW, encouraging a u-turn to make him an active target.

"Particularly last season, he stood out in League One, where Sheffield Wednesday are going to be plying their trade next season.

"I think it would be wise to see if we could swoop in and get an in-form player like this.

"Having suffered injuries earlier in his career, he's played a lot of football since then, he has a bit of an ever-present feel about him.

"He seems to have a bit of versatility about him, which will be key for us next season.

"He seems to mix defensive work and attacking ability with a good return of goals and assists from midfield last season.

"There's certainly a lot to like about Owen Bailey.

"If there are rivals in the same division looking around him, then I would be keen for us to swoop in and get him.

"If we are looking at him, then obviously he is ticking a lot of boxes for our recruitment team.

"We possibly do have an advantage over other teams as well in that he wouldn't have to move home if he was to come from Doncaster to Sheffield Wednesday."

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Bailey was one of the standout players in League One last season, and his tally of 16 goals from midfield was an incredible return, so it is easy to see why he has caught the eye of Wednesday's recruitment team.

With the Owls' new CEO Bruce recently revealing that the club will be under restrictions in the transfer market for at least one more year, it remains to be seen whether they could afford a deal for Bailey, particularly with well-resourced clubs like Bradford, MK Dons, Oxford and Stockport also chasing the Doncaster captain.

However, the fact that he would be able to remain close to his current home could give Wednesday the edge in the race for Bailey, and he would no doubt be tempted by the opportunity to become part of an exciting new era at Hillsborough under Storch's ownership.