Sheffield Wednesday must take unpopular Ike Ugbo stance amid Stoke, QPR and Birmingham interest: View | OneFootball

Sheffield Wednesday are keen to bring Troyes striker Ike Ugbo back to the club this summer after his successful loan spell.

Highlights

It has been a busy start to the transfer window 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 last season under Xisco Munoz, but they achieved safety following 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 in May, and the German has wasted no time in getting to work on rebuilding his squad.

Ciaran Brennan, Reece James, George Byers, Tyreeq Bakinson, Juan Delgado and Lee Gregory have been released, and Cameron Dawson and Will Vaulks have departed after rejecting new contracts, but Liam Palmer, Dominic Iorfa, Di'Shon Bernard, Barry Bannan and Josh Windass have committed their futures to the club.

The Owls have brought in nine new signings so far this summer, with James Beadle, Ben Hamer, Max Lowe, Yan Valery, Svante Ingelsson, Nathaniel Chalobah, Olaf Kobacki, Jamal Lowe and Charlie McNeill arriving at Hillsborough.

While Wednesday supporters will be delighted by their transfer business, there may be some disappointment that they have not yet been able to secure a permanent deal for Troyes striker Ike Ugbo, who starred during his loan spell at Hillsborough in the second half of last season.

Ike Ugbo transfer latest

Wednesday are hoping to bring Ugbo back to the club on a full-time basis this summer, but The Star claim that their initial offer for the 25-year-old was rejected by Troyes last week, and the French side are now awaiting an improved bid.

The Owls will be encouraged by the fact that Ugbo is keen to return to South Yorkshire, but they face competition for his signature from Stoke City and Birmingham City, who are both set to make a move for the striker, while Queens Park Rangers are also said to be interested.

According to journalist Darren Witcoop, Wednesday are "not close" to agreeing a deal for Ugbo, and it seems that his future is unlikely to be resolved any time soon.

Sheffield Wednesday must hold firm over Ike Ugbo valuation

It is no surprise that Ugbo is attracting attention from elsewhere after his impressive form on loan at Hillsborough last season, but the fact his list of suitors is increasing is bad news for Wednesday.

Ugbo played a crucial role in the Owls' survival, and he established himself as a firm favourite among supporters, but the club must be cautious not to overpay for the striker this summer.

It is fair to say that without Ugbo's goals, Wednesday would no longer be a Championship club, but he scored just once in the final two months of the campaign, raising concerns over whether he would be able to maintain his form next season.

With a number of other clubs joining the race for Ugbo, his valuation is likely to increase further, and it could be difficult for the Owls to compete with the likes of Stoke, QPR and Birmingham.

Stoke are known to have vast financial resources, and QPR are set to receive just under £2 million from Bristol City for Sinclair Armstrong, which could provide them with the funds to make a move for Ugbo.

Given the fact they are in a higher division, Wednesday may be a more attractive proposition for Ugbo than Birmingham, but the ambitious Blues are believed to have a £20 million budget this summer as they look to make an immediate return to the Championship.

Troyes' negotiating position looked to have been weakened by their relegation to the French third tier, but they will instead remain a Ligue 2 club after being given a reprieve, and that will allow them to keep their asking price high.

Given that Troyes paid €3 million (£2.5 million) for Ugbo, they will be hoping to at least recoup that fee, and they may even be hoping to make a profit on the Canadian international.

If Troyes demand over £2.5 million for Ugbo, the Owls must carefully consider whether better options are available for a cheaper fee, even if walking away from a deal would be unpopular with the fan base.