How Barry Bannan and Josh Windass have reacted to Svante Ingelsson's Sheffield Wednesday exit | OneFootball

Former Sheffield Wednesday stars Barry Bannan and Josh Windass have reacted to Svante Ingelsson's exit message

Sheffield Wednesday are entering a new era, and, hopefully for Owls fans, it’s a much more enjoyable one than the last, as a fan favourite bids farewell after securing a move back to the Championship following relegation.

Things have rarely been quiet at Hillsborough, and though Sheffield Wednesday are entering a new era, under new ownership, under a redesigned badge, with what will be a completely different squad to last season, the drama will no doubt remain.

The Owls endured a miserable campaign in the second tier last time around, finishing rock bottom of the Championship but clawing their way back up to zero points on the final day with their one and only home victory of the season against West Bromwich Albion, having been stuck on negative points for the bulk of the year.

Now, with Henrik Pedersen set to guide the club into the third tier, the South Yorkshire outfit are looking to make some key additions to ensure their time in League One is as short-lived as possible.

The likes of Ricardo Santos, Jordi Liongola, and Callum Slattery have all put pen to paper on contracts at Hillsborough this summer, whilst Aston Villa defender Sil Swinkels edges closer to completing his move to the club.

However, outgoings will still be aplenty for the Owls, as some former fan favourites have reacted to a midfielder's exit message.

Barry Bannan and Josh Windass among those reacting to Svante Ingelsson's Sheffield Wednesday farewell message after completing Stoke City switch

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Svante Ingelsson joined Sheffield Wednesday on a free transfer in the summer of 2024 from German side Hansa Rostock under the watch of former boss Danny Rohl, and in his two seasons at the club, made 79 appearances across all competitions.

Now, following relegation to League One, the 28-year-old made his desire to return to the Championship clear should an opportunity arise, as one has since done with Stoke City.

The Potters have reportedly paid a fee of around £1 million for the Swede's services on a three-year deal, although the actual fee remains undisclosed.

Ingelsson has since taken to social media to share his gratitude to the Owls in a heartfelt message, as some familiar names to Wednesday fans have taken to the comment section.

In his farewell message, Ingelsson took the time to thank teammates, staff, and, of course, the fans, before stating: 'Sheffield will always hold a special place in our hearts.'

He also shared that his eldest son will always be a Sheffield Wednesday fan, in an extremely nice touch to Owls supporters, as despite his time at the club not being what he or many had hoped in terms of results, he leaves Hillsborough with only positive things to say.

In the comments, the likes of Barry Bannan, Josh Windass, Shea Charles, and Liam Palmer have sent Ingelsson their own farewell message.

Bannan said: "Sweden all the best in the future my friend 💪💪💪."

Windass said: "Good luck lad."

Charles said: "All the best bro💙."

Palmer said: "All the best you and the family brother! You’ll be missed 💙."

The comment section is overwhelmingly positive towards Ingelsson, both from former teammates and fans, as there is a general feeling of sadness over his exit.

For Wednesday, they will hope to reinvest that money from the Swede's move wisely as they aim to earn their place back in the Championship for 2027, as Stoke may well have just found a coup with his signature.

Henrik Pedersen will hope Svante Ingelsson's exit won't be felt too much as the Dane aims to take the Owls back to the Championship

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As Pedersen prepares for next season, he will be as disappointed as anyone that Ingelsson has chosen to depart the club.

In a statement released by Wednesday following his exit, sporting director Simon Wilson said: "We identified Svante as a player we wanted to remain part of our long-term plans and made several attempts to secure his future at Sheffield Wednesday.

"We remained disciplined within the financial and regulatory framework currently governing the club during those discussions, where it also became clear that Svante wanted to return to the Championship should the opportunity arise.

"While we are naturally disappointed to lose a player of his quality, Svante has been excellent throughout this process, and his honesty and collaboration have allowed all parties to work constructively towards a solution.

Indeed, efforts were made to keep Ingelsson a part of Wednesday's plans for next season, but the club can hardly begrudge him a return to the Championship.

It's a bitter pill for Owls supporters to swallow, who can only hope his exit doesn't have a negative long-term impact.