Update emerges on Barry Bannan's Sheffield Wednesday situation as image is released | OneFootball

The Scottish midfielder is back training with the Owls despite being out of contract at the end of the month.

Barry Bannan has made a surprise appearance at Middlewood Road for Sheffield Wednesday's pre-season training despite not officially agreeing a new deal with the club.

It's hard to see a way in which the 2025/26 campaign for the Owls will continue the way the previous one roughly ended, with little jeopardy and not much fuss.

While there was the first of the late payments to players which has led to their three-window transfer ban before the final game of the season, that period has been nothing like the chaos that the club have been through since. Still, the wheel keeps turning, and the players are due back for the start of pre-season training today (Thursday, 26th June).

Wednesday are in a position where if they don't pay their players' wages for this month on time - on Monday - then they can hand in notices to terminate their deals as a result of two consecutive months of missed payments.

This could leave them in a very uncertain situation, but none more so than the club's captain, who, despite being out of contract in a matter of days, has turned up to Middlewood Road to get to work ahead of next season.

Barry Bannan's shock Sheffield Wednesday return

Bannan was one of three players that Wednesday confirmed they had offered new deals to in their retained list following last term. None of the Scotsman, Akin Famewo or Callum Paterson have agreed to these fresh terms yet, but that hasn't perturbed the 35-year-old from showing up to work.

Also confirmed to be back ahead of the new season are Dominic Iorfa, Di’Shon Bernard, Max Lowe and Sean Fusire.

It was reported by The Star that he is keen to put pen to paper on the contract offered to him, although there is interest from other Championship clubs like Stoke City, West Bromwich Albion and Wrexham, according to Fraser Fletcher.

There are concerns around the state of the facilities that the players will be coming back to, according to Mike McGrath. Equally, uncertainty remains around Danny Rohl's backroom staff. He is not expected to be returning to the club for pre-season, as a deal is worked out between him and Wednesday to end his tenure at the club, but his staff are under contract until the end of this month and what will happen with them isn't yet known.

Barry Bannan: the consumate professional

It's a real testament to Barry Bannan, the professional, that he is at training when he is going to be unemployed, at least in a footballing sense, in a matter of days' time. With all the chaos surrounding the club, the manager and its chairman, Dejphon Chansiri, he didn't need to be back at Middlewood today, and yet he is.

You'd be astonished to see him not officially accept the deal that Wednesday have offered him in the coming days. That, among everything seemingly falling apart at the club, is a boost for the Owls and their supporters.