Sheffield Wednesday set to rival Blackburn Rovers for 15-goal EFL striker | OneFootball

The Owls are reportedly plotting a move for a League One attacker - but there's also Championship interest

Sheffield Wednesday are preparing for a new era under the ownership of David Storch and his Arise Capital Partners consortium.

The Owls endured a torrid season last year as they were relegated from the Championship with zero points following a total deduction of 18 points.

Now though, the South Yorkshire club are looking upwards and are no doubt amongst the biggest clubs in the third tier next season.

Signings are expected at Hillsborough this summer as Wednesday prepare for the new campaign, with a return for club legend Barry Bannan mooted. However, the latest reports suggest that the Owls are targeting a striker.

Sheffield Wednesday eyeing Joe Taylor deal amid Championship competition

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According to Football Insider's Pete O'Rourke, Wednesday, alongside Championship club Blackburn Rovers, are "lining up" a swoop for Huddersfield Town striker Joe Taylor this summer.

Since joining on a permanent deal from Luton Town in January 2025 for a reported £3 million, Taylor has failed to make a significant impact in a Terriers shirt, scoring nine goals in 42 appearances. He was subsequently loaned to fellow League One side Wigan Athletic a year after joining the Yorkshire outfit.

The 23-year-old rediscovered his goalscoring form with the Latics, scoring 11 times in 22 matches, adding to the four goals he landed for Town in the first half of the campaign, and is now subject to interest from other clubs.

Taylor is still contracted until 2029 at the Accu Stadium, and whilst Huddersfield may cash in on the striker, Wednesday are likely unable to afford paying the fee that the Terriers will want, making a loan deal more likely.

Joe Taylor would be a statement signing for Sheffield Wednesday

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Not only would the capture of Taylor mean that Henrik Pedersen's side were able to beat a Championship club to a signing, but they would also take one of the best strikers in League One off of a side expected to be a promotion rival this season.

The 23-year-old only made a total of 19 appearances for Luton, with his transfer from Peterborough United coinciding with the Hatters' rise to the Premier League.

However, successful loan spells at Colchester United in League Two and Lincoln City in League One during the 2023/24 campaign alerted clubs to the striker's ability in front of goal as he scored a total of 22 goals that season.

At 23, Taylor is expected to eventually make it back to the Championship and, based on his performances for Wigan during the second half of last season, there is plenty of evidence to suggest he is ready to play in the second tier.

However, a move to Wednesday would offer the opportunity to finally have some consistency after five moves in the last three-and-a-half years.

He would be playing for one of the biggest clubs in League One and could well play a key role in a promotion push and make it to the Championship while representing the Owls.

Admittedly, the temptation of a move to the Championship this summer with Blackburn could prove too tempting for Taylor, but if Wednesday's interest in the striker is genuine, they should be making every move to sign one of the best strikers in the third tier and raid a promotion rival at the same time.