Sheffield Wednesday told to swerve fresh Bolton Wanderers transfer move | OneFootball

Sheffield Wednesday had been linked with Bolton's John McAtee in the summer, but they have been told to avoid going back for the forward in January.

Sheffield Wednesday had a huge squad overhaul in the summer as Henrik Pedersen’s side prepared for life back in League One.

Despite their relegation to the third tier, there was a lot of optimism at Hillsborough after Arise Capital Partners completed their takeover of the club in May.

And, even with the restrictions the club were operating under, they were able to have a very productive window, with a host of new players arriving to strengthen the squad.

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Sheffield Wednesday had been keen on Bolton Wanderers’ John McAtee

The early signs suggest the Owls got a lot right, as Pedersen’s side sit second in the League One table, and they have picked up some impressive results.

Yet, as you would expect given the number of deals that took place, Wednesday didn’t get all of their targets, and one player who was believed to be on their radar was Bolton’s John McAtee.

The 27-year-old had done very well in the third tier with Barnsley and the Trotters over the years, so it would make sense that he was someone Wednesday would consider.

But, a deal didn’t materialise, and, despite plenty of other interest, McAtee actually remained with Bolton, although he has struggled for game time.

Sheffield Wednesday told to avoid January move for John McAtee

Of course, things can change quickly in football, but with Steven Schumacher not using the player in recent games, it shows he is way down the pecking order right now, and, in truth, it’s hard to see that changing if injuries don’t hit.

Therefore, McAtee may look to move on in January, but, when asked by FLW whether the Owls should revisit a move for the player, Sheffield Wednesday fan pundit Patrick McKenna explained why bringing in attacking reinforcements is unlikely to be a ‘priority’.

“Right now, I have no real concerns that we didn’t get him in. We have plenty of attacking options, so, January is a long way away, so I’d be more interested right now in seeing if we can get all these players to gel, and then, in January, with the loan situation, we can see how it goes.

“The focus is on making sure we start scoring more regularly with the attacking options we have, especially at Hillsborough. Behind the scenes, the recruitment guys will be working, but, from a fans point of view, it's about the here and now, and we have plenty of options as it is.

“So, I would say even come January, with whatever wriggle room we have, adding to the forwards probably won’t be a key priority.”

Sheffield Wednesday have the firepower to win promotion this season

On paper, most would agree with this assessment, as there is a lot of attacking talent at Hillsborough, with Davis Keillor-Dunn, Mason Burstow, Jamal Lowe, Kieran Morrison and Harry Gray just some of the options. Plus, Louie Barry will return to full fitness before the window opens.

With that in mind, it’s hard to say that the Owls need a new option at the moment, or that McAtee represents an upgrade on what they have.

But, as we know, there’s a lot of football to be played between now and the New Year, so priorities can change, and injuries and form will dictate what Pedersen needs to do.

So, it’s a discussion for closer to January, but Wednesday have enough quality in the final third to score the goals to get them out of the league, and Pedersen certainly won’t be able to point to a lack of backing if they do fall short.