Sheffield Wednesday close in on transfer of 'absolute player' | OneFootball

The Owls are nearing a deal for the creative midfielder.

There has been plenty of transfer speculation at Sheffield Wednesday as the club aim to build a strong squad for their return to League One.

Much of the speculation has been around the potential return of former Wednesday players, with Jamie Vardy, Callum Patterson and Barry Bannan all linked with moves to Hillsborough.

While that talk will please some supporters, others are hoping that their club can bring in fresh talent to mount a title charge under Henrik Pedersen.

Indeed, it seems that the Owls are nearing a deal for a Motherwell star, and it has been causing quite a stir amongst the Scottish side's fanbase.

Sheffield Wednesday closing in on Callum Slattery deal

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The Owls currently have an incredibly thin squad, and not only will the club need to sign quality players, but they must also bulk out several positions to build a strong cohort capable of mounting a promotion charge.

Central midfield is certainly an area that needs addressing, as only Svante Ingelsson and Jarvis Thornton remain as natural options after the departure of several players.

With Bannan's return appearing imminent, Pedersen will have another option within his ranks, but it seems that the South Yorkshire club are not stopping there.

That is because Sheffield Wednesday are edging in on the free transfer of Motherwell midfielder Callum Slattery, according to The Star.

The 27-year-old has spent five years at Fir Park since signing from Southampton, making 148 appearances, but will leave when his contract expires at the end of the month.

What would Slattery bring to Hillsborough?

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Slattery is a technical, box-to-box midfielder known for his physicality and passing range, while he also has set-piece ability that could be pivotal in League One.

The Englishman enjoyed an excellent, consistent season with Motherwell and demonstrated his passing and attacking ability, while he is also reliable defensively.

Motherwell's number eight ranked high across several key statistics in the Scottish Premiership and fell within the top three percent of attacking-midfielders for assists, successful passes and fouls won, while no player in his position enjoyed more than his 1,900 touches, according to Fotmob.

Slattery came through Southampton's famous academy and was capped at three youth levels by England before securing a permanent switch to Motherwell in 2021.

His 11 goal contributions last season were the best numbers of his career for an individual campaign, and he is a player truly in his prime.

How Motherwell fans are reacting to Slattery transfer news

Slattery announced that he would be leaving Fir Park last week, and his farewell social media post generated quite the response from Motherwell supporters.

Indeed, fans did not hold back from stating the impact he had at the Scottish club, and it appears he will be a difficult man to replace.