Sheffield Wednesday star told he must 'prove' his worth as January transfer decision looms | OneFootball

Davis Keillor-Dunn faces an uncertain long-term future after joining Sheffield Wednesday from Wrexham on a loan deal until January.

Davis Keillor-Dunn has been told he must improve in a Sheffield Wednesday shirt after a slow start to life at Hillsborough.

The 28-year-old joined the Owls on loan from Wrexham in the summer, and the deal was seen as a real coup, as the forward had impressed at this level in the past.

Over an 18-month period with Barnsley, Keillor-Dunn scored 31 goals in 66 League One games, which prompted the Red Dragons to re-sign the attacker earlier this year.

Davis Keillor-Dunn is yet to show his quality for Sheffield Wednesday

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Yet, regular game time at the Racecourse Ground was understandably hard to come by for the ex-Mansfield man, who struggled to establish himself in Phil Parkinson’s XI.

Therefore, a move to Wednesday was finalised, with Keillor-Dunn agreeing a deal to move to the Yorkshire outfit until January 2027.

But Keillor-Dunn has yet to get going in an Owls shirt, with the forward yet to register a goal or an assist in three league games, although he did get off the mark during the week, scoring against Salford in the EFL Trophy, which will no doubt help his confidence.

Davis Keillor-Dunn told he must do more to extend Sheffield Wednesday stay

Henrik Pedersen’s side had to utilise the loan market in the summer to beef up the squad due to the restrictions they were under.

And, with six players joining the club on a temporary basis, it means one loan signing must be left out of the matchday squad for every league game, providing they’re fit, as you can only name five.

So, that could be problematic for the Wednesday chief moving forward, and he has already had to leave the likes of Jaden Heskey and Ali Al-Hamadi out of recent games.

With Keillor-Dunn set to return to Wrexham in the New Year as it stands, there will be doubts over his long-term future.

Whether another loan is agreed, a permanent move, or Keillor-Dunn is sent back, all options will be on the table, and when asked by FLW whether the Owls should be trying to keep the player, Sheffield Wednesday fan pundit Patrick McKenna admitted it’s too soon to make a decision, as he suggested the forward must do more.

“I have to say that he hasn’t made the start to his career at Hillsborough that we would’ve expected. However, I would say that he hasn’t really played in his best position," Patrick told FLW.

“By January, we’d have to decide whether he starts in our best XI, and, if he doesn’t, then you’d maybe have to send him back, because we’re over our loan limit.

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“So, I think the loan players are going to have to justify being here. Maybe that goal in midweek will help him kick-on, and he can show what he can do.

“The loan situation is something we have to manage, and if Keillor-Dunn is going to be here beyond January, he will have to prove that he deserves to be a regular starter in our team.”

Davis Keillor-Dunn could be a big player for Sheffield Wednesday this season

Of course, it must be stressed that Keillor-Dunn only joined the Owls at the start of the month, and he has played just three league games for the club, so it’s far too soon to be making judgements.

Clearly, he has excellent pedigree in the third tier, and there’s no reason why he can’t become a huge player for Pedersen’s side this year.

Right now, most would agree that it’s too soon to say whether they should pursue him permanently, but they obviously don’t need to rush a decision on that front.

Keillor-Dunn will only be focused on trying to get up to full speed in terms of fitness and knowing what the manager wants from him, and then a decision can be made on his future when the January window is closer.