Sheffield Wednesday news: James Bord takeover scrutiny, Harry Amass update, transfer clarity | OneFootball

All of the latest from the blue side of Sheffield

The festive period brought little respite for Sheffield Wednesday, on or off the pitch.

As takeover speculation fell quiet over Christmas and New Year, the Owls’ on-field struggles deepened, leaving the club edging uncomfortably close to an unwanted slice of history.

Wednesday are now just two games away from equalling their longest ever league run without a win - 20 matches, a mark set in 1975.

A chastening 3-0 defeat to Preston North End on New Year’s Day followed back-to-back draws against Hull City and Blackburn Rovers, results that briefly hinted at resilience but ultimately underlined a familiar pattern of effort without reward.

With results faltering and resources stretched thin, attention is now turning to whether relief can arrive off the pitch - and how much room the club will be given to manoeuvre.

Owls expect fresh clarity from EFL over January transfer window

With the January transfer window now open, the hope inside Hillsborough is that clarity - and help - may finally arrive.

Speaking after the loss at Deepdale, head coach Henrik Pedersen confirmed the club is awaiting guidance from the EFL on what business it will be permitted to conduct this month.

That guidance cannot come soon enough.

The Professional Footballers’ Association is understood to have contacted Wednesday regarding player welfare, amid growing concern over the workload being placed on a dwindling group of senior players.

Injuries and recalls have stripped Wednesday’s squad to the bone, forcing repeated compromises in selection and fitness management.

There remains cautious optimism that the club may be able to secure late loan additions, particularly free deals similar in structure to the move that brought Harry Amass to South Yorkshire earlier in the season.

Conversations are ongoing with several parent clubs, many of whom have reportedly been encouraged by Amass’ development.

Yet even those close to negotiations concede that any such deals are likely to hinge on goodwill rather than leverage - and may not materialise until late in the month. Owls supporters will have to be patient.

Sheffield Wednesday squad continues to deplete after new injury woes and loan recall

The attrition continued on New Year’s Day when Liam Cooper was forced off with what Pedersen described bluntly as a “not good” groin injury.

Goalkeeper Ethan Horvath has since been recalled by Cardiff City, further reducing the pool of experienced options available, even if the American had recently dropped to the bench following Pierce Charles’ return.

Adding to the sense of precariousness, The Star's Alex Miller has reported that at least one unnamed first-team player is currently playing through an injury that would ordinarily require several weeks of rest.

It is a situation that speaks to both necessity and risk - survival mode football, with all the long-term consequences that entails.

There have been flickers of encouragement. Nathan Redmond returned to action against Preston, though his short-term deal suggests his Owls presence may be fleeting rather than foundational.

Sean Fusire’s return from AFCON provides another body, while Pedersen has offered a positive update on Di’Shon Bernard, who is expected back from a long-term knee injury in the spring. Even so, these are marginal gains against immense problems.

Fresh talks over Harry Amass’ Sheffield Wednesday future - Man United are not expected to recall their prospect

Amid the uncertainty, Wednesday supporters have been watching developments around Harry Amass with particular interest.

Reports from The Sun suggest Manchester United are not planning to recall the 18-year-old in January, prioritising his development at Championship level despite interest from Millwall and Stoke City.

While there remains some ambiguity over whether Amass could be loaned elsewhere, there is reassurance that financial considerations are unlikely to override developmental ones.

For a club short on stability, continuity matters.

Off the pitch, the waiting game continues. Takeover talk has slowed rather than stopped, with scrutiny ongoing around the bid led by James Bord.

The EFL’s Owners’ and Directors’ Test remains the central hurdle, and while no wrongdoing has been alleged, Bord’s past involvement in the gambling industry is understood to be a point of examination.

Bord began his career working for gambling firms Starlizard and Smartodds before winning significant sums on the professional poker circuit and later pivoting towards machine learning and artificial intelligence in San Francisco.

The EFL’s published regulations disqualify individuals found to have breached betting prohibitions, though there is no suggestion Bord has done so.

Nevertheless, in a regulatory climate shaped by criticism of lax ownership standards - and the looming presence of an independent regulator - caution is now the default position.

For some Wednesday fans, concerns centre less on Bord’s gambling background and more on his previous advisory role at Sheffield United, a spell viewed by some at Bramall Lane as unsuccessful and destabilising.

Whether those anxieties prove justified remains to be seen, but they underscore a broader truth: trust is thin on the ground at Hillsborough.