"They've lost..." - Pundit tells Sheffield Wednesday to solve Danny Rohl issue through free agent market | OneFootball

Former Wednesday midfielder Carlton Palmer has exclusively issued to FLW that Danny Rohl needs to look into the free agent market after a poor start.

After a poor start to the season, pundit Carlton Palmer has urged Sheffield Wednesday to look to the free agent market to bolster their midfield.

Wednesday boss Danny Rohl has left the door open to potential Owls additions after the end of the summer transfer window.

Sitting 20th and with three losses in their opening four Championship games, Rohl needs to help his side regain their late-season form from 2023/24.

The German coach was backed by Wednesday owner Dejphon Chansiri over the summer with 11 new additions joining the squad.

Carlton Palmer believes Owls should look at midfield free agents

Palmer has told Football League World that the Owls need to add some solidity in the middle of the park.

He said: "Rohl has left the door open to signing free agents. Listen, Chansiri backed him in the transfer window, he's brought in several new players, and it's clear to see he did a fantastic job last season for Wednesday when he kept them up against all odds.

"When he took over, they were down, and he kept them up. This season they've conceded nine goals in four games, which is not good. It's only Cardiff City, who are rock bottom, who have conceded more, with ten.

"It's an area they need to sort out, but it's not their defence, they're too open. One thing Rohl did when he first came in was add solidity. They were nice and solid and hard to beat. They didn't concede goals but the midfield against Sunderland, as an example, the way he wanted to play with Barry Bannan and Josh Windass as a diamond, it's clear there weren't enough legs in there. "They need to get tighter, regain that solid unit once again, and they need to bring in another midfield player. They let Will Vaulks go, and he did a fantastic job for them, and if you look at where he went to Oxford United, they're sat a point outside the play-offs. "They've lost that solidity in the middle of the park. It's not a defensive issue because, as defenders, you need protection in front of you, they need a holding midfield player to make them as solid as they once were.

"At the moment they've only scored four goals, and you won't win football matches if you're going to concede two goals a game. That's an area for me where they need to get sorted."

Former Burnley veteran could be answer to Owls' prayers

The loss of Vaulks has certainly hit Rohl's side. He made 34 appearances and played an integral part in Wednesday's six-game unbeaten run in their final games of the 2023/24 Championship season.

Someone who can replicate Vaulk's efforts is Jack Cork.

Cork left Burnley after seven seasons with the Clarets, making 267 appearances across two outings. The midfielder also has experience in promotion-winning teams – not just Burnley but also with Southampton, as he was a part of the team that got the Saints to the top flight after eight years away.

He is a leader in the defensive midfield position and could be exactly what Rohl is looking for as the glue for his side.

When the 35-year-old left Turf Moor he still believed he had the ability to compete at this level.

In Rohl's system, this could be the perfect fit for both parties and his pedigree at this level would be sure to rub off on other players.