Sheffield Wednesday & Leicester City in transfer race for Sunderland player | OneFootball

Sheffield Wednesday and Sunderland have been namedropped amid MK Dons interest in a Sunderland starlet...

Sheffield Wednesday and Leicester City are two sides playing League One football next season, despite both clubs being considered as two of the biggest clubs outside the Premier League.

It's a travesty, for vastly different reasons, that they have fallen into League One. Sheffield Wednesday's fate felt inevitable from before a ball was kicked in 2025/26 and Leicester City ought to have been much more than they were with the quality in their squad.

There are a number of other clubs of significant size, stature, and budget in the third tier next season, but both the Owls and the Foxes will be among the favourites to win the title providing they can rebuild well and stretch their resources.

For Leicester, many players look likely to exit the club given their wages and reputation at a higher level. For Wednesday, very few players will remain given the volume of players currently out of contract at Hillsborough. They will be two of the most interesting EFL clubs to track this summer.

Leicester City and Sheffield Wednesday eye Sunderland goalkeeper Matty Young

Players are going to be required in all thirds of the pitch for both clubs, with the pair likely to battle it out for some of the same targets, given that they are likely to be able to outbid most third tier sides in terms of wages for free agents or the best loans from the Premier League and Championship.

One goalkeeper has been making waves in the EFL in recent seasons, with Sunderland's 19-year-old Matty Young having two separate spells with Salford City following a successful 2023/24 campaign with Darlington.

Young has played 77 games for Salford City in 2024/25 and 2025/26, keeping 25 clean sheets in that time. That includes 50 appearances and 16 clean sheets this term, albeit not in the play-off final against Notts County at Wembley.

He's unlikely to play in the fourth tier next season, with Young said to be attracting interest from Championship and League One clubs following his impressive loan spells away from Sunderland. He signed a four-year contract with Sunderland this month, with the option of a further year.

The latest from Sky Sports' Peter Smith states that he is seen as the future number-one at the Stadium of Light, but it appears he could be on the move again this summer.

MK Dons have been linked to Young already but the report from Sky states Sheffield Wednesday and Leicester are among the clubs apparently looking for a goalkeeper option in this summer's transfer window.

Sheffield Wednesday should beat Leicester City to Sunderland's Matty Young

It would be a surprise if Jakub Stolarczyk wasn't given a full campaign in between the sticks in 2026/27 for Leicester, given how he was a bright spark in an otherwise dismal season. The 24-year-old is still young and could yet improve in League One.

He was the most used goalkeeper this season for the Foxes but perhaps will have transfer interest, explaining why Young could be on their radar. As for Wednesday, it is no great surprise that they are eyeing up goalkeepers.

The sheer volume of interest in Pierce Charles makes needing a starting goalkeeper an obvious priority for them. Coventry City joined Man City and Spurs in eyeing Charles earlier in the season, albeit nothing materialised with the champions yet.

QPR and Cardiff City have shown interest in Charles, but it is now becoming clearer where he is headed. Man City have stepped up their interest in Charles in recent days, which means Wednesday will potentially get a fee they can put to good use in other areas of their team.

Saving money by bringing in a loan of Young's quality makes enormous sense for the Owls, with David Storch's new side looking like the better fit for next season on paper currently.