Sheffield Wednesday handed transfer update on ex-Sunderland & Millwall star - it involves Stockport | OneFootball

Duncan Watmore is training with Stockport County to stay fit after he was linked with a move to Sheffield Wednesday.

Duncan Watmore is training with Stockport County as he looks to stay sharp ahead of potentially returning to a Football League club, having been linked with Sheffield Wednesday in the past.

The 31-year-old has been without a club since his contract with Millwall expired in the summer, and an injury towards the end of his time with the Lions means he last played competitive football back in February.

However, Watmore is now fit and ready to go, and it had been said that Sheffield Wednesday were looking at the forward to bolster their squad.

Duncan Watmore training with Stockport County as Sheffield Wednesday target awaits EFL move

The Owls’ issues are well-documented, and part of the punishment for breaching various EFL regulations saw restrictions on who the club could sign, which extended to preventing them even bringing in free agents.

Therefore, any move for Watmore - who was linked with a move to Hillsborough in the summer - or any other out-of-contract player, was scrapped, but Wednesday have pushed for that to change.

It has been reported that they will now be able to bring in free agents, with Liam Cooper and Timothy Fosu-Mensah among those thought to be on Wednesday’s radar, and it has been claimed the ex-Leeds captain will sign in the coming days.

It remains to be seen whether Wednesday revisit a move for Watmore, but it appears the ex-Sunderland man is doing his bit to ensure he is ready for any potential call, as journalist Alan Nixon revealed he is training with high-flying League One side Stockport.

Nixon states that Wednesday may well pick up the phone again to Watmore after they've been given the green light to sign some free agents, but there will be obvious potential to win himself a deal with the Hatters too.

Watmore was born in Manchester and started his career with non-league Altrincham, which isn’t too far from County, so it is something that makes sense for him until he gets back in the game, whilst there is no suggestion he could sign for Dave Challinor's side.

Duncan Watmore would add experience and know-how to Henrik Pedersen's Sheffield Wednesday side

Of course, Watmore can join any club as a free agent, so any interested outfit would be pleased to see that he is training in a competitive, professional environment, as it means he is keeping in good shape.

For Wednesday, if they do bring him in, the lack of depth in their squad means they would need him to play a part almost immediately, so, again, this is a positive development in that sense.

If they can finalise a deal for Watmore, then it’s a no-brainer, as he is someone who can play in various attacking roles, which will appeal to Henrik Pedersen, and his work-rate is sure to endear him to the supporters.

The ex-Sunderland star is vastly experienced at Championship level, having also enjoyed a successful spell with Middlesbrough between 2020-2023, which also saw him offered a contract by the Teessiders in a similar situation to the one he's in now, having been on trial with them as a free agent following some major injury issues.

Plus, his experience could make him a vital figure in a group that has plenty of youngsters coming through, so, even given Watmore’s injury history, this is a low-risk move that could help Wednesday in their difficult position.