Ex-Sheffield Wednesday star drops big Barry Bannan return hint | OneFootball

Barry Bannan ended his time at Sheffield Wednesday last January with a move to Millwall

Barry Bannan ended his remarkable 11-year career at Sheffield Wednesday during the January transfer window.

The midfielder made the move from the Owls to Millwall midway through the campaign, with cashflow issues hampering the South Yorkshire outfit significantly at the time.

The 36-year-old has become a modern-day legend at Hillsborough, but financial woes led to his departure and the Lions are now competing for promotion to the Premier League.

Bannan made 14 regular league appearances for the London outfit since arriving in the winter market, including six starts.

He also came off the bench for Alex Neil’s side in the first leg of their play-off semi-final clash against Hull City last Friday, and could feature in the second leg on Monday evening.

But Sheffield Wednesday fans will be hoping he could make a return to Hillsborough now that David Storch’s takeover of the club has been completed.

Keiren Westwood tips Barry Bannan for Sheffield Wednesday return

Former Sheffield Wednesday goalkeeper Keiren Westwood has claimed that Bannan will look to end his career with the Owls.

He believes it’s not like the midfielder has left at all, hinting that a return could be on the cards sooner than later, praising his ex-teammate for being a great presence around the club.

“Baz is Baz,” said Westwood, via The Star.

“He’s been here 10 years now - and I say he’s been here because it’s like he’s not gone anywhere.

“That’s probably the biggest compliment I can pay to Baz.

“He’s a great lad and a really great friend.

“He’s at that age and he’s always been really public and open in saying he wanted to finish his career at Wednesday.

“I think he’d have an eye on that still!”

Bannan initially joined Sheffield Wednesday in the 2015 summer transfer window, making the switch from Crystal Palace after a loan spell with Bolton Wanderers.

He made 477 appearances for the club during his 10-and-a-half years with the Yorkshire outfit before departing for Millwall last January.

The midfielder was appointed club captain last summer, but their financial position continued to worsen as the campaign wore on, leading to them going into administration last October.

The Owls suffered relegation to League One as a consequence, with a number of key players departing over the last 12 months, as well as highly-rated coach Danny Rohl.

It remains to be seen whether Bannan will return to Hillsborough now, with Arise Capital Partners in charge of the League One side, especially as the 36-year-old could become a Premier League player, with Millwall now two positive results away from securing promotion trough the Championship's play-offs.

Barry Bannan's Sheffield Wednesday return has to be on the cards

Bannan’s departure from Sheffield Wednesday was a surprise, and a real sign of how desperate their financial situation became during their time in administration.

The midfielder has made it clear on a number of occasions that his heart is at Hillsborough, and a return has to be seen as a likely outcome.

It may not come to fruition this summer, but there’s little reason to doubt that he will come back for the end of his career.

And he will be welcomed back by fans with open arms, as he was a massively popular figure at the club prior to his exit.