Sheffield Wednesday eyeing £0 transfer swoop as Lincoln City lurk | OneFootball

Odin Bailey is a free agent following his exit from Stockport County

Sheffield Wednesday are expecting a busy summer ahead of their return to League One for next season.

The Owls are under new ownership after the group led by David Storch, Arise Capital, took control of the club in May.

Supporters will be hoping for a brighter future after significant financial issues under the previous owner Dejphon Chansiri.

Henrik Pedersen’s squad is set to be overhauled between now and the 1 September transfer deadline after the Yorkshire outfit suffered relegation from the Championship.

The team finished the season bottom of the table, with a total of zero points after they were docked a combined total of 18 by the EFL.

Sheffield Wednesday will start the next campaign on zero in what will be a fresh start for the club.

Sheffield Wednesday eye ex-Stockport County player

It has been reported by The Star that Sheffield Wednesday have listed Odin Bailey as a potential transfer option this summer.

The 26-year-old made 43 appearances in the regular campaign for Stockport County this season, but is now available as a free agent.

It’s believed that the Owls will face competition from League One rivals in the race for his signature, with journalist Sam Byrne claiming Lincoln City are among the possible suitors following their promotion to the Championship.

The playmaker is also attracting interest from Scotland following his surprise exit from Stockport.

A popular figure among the Edgleley Park faithful, the talented midfielder contributed four goals and two assists to help Dave Challinor’s side finish third in the League One table.

However, the team suffered a 4-1 loss to Bolton Wanderers in the play-off final, ending their hopes of promotion for another year, with Challinor also in line for a move to Blackburn Rovers following his mutual exit from the Greater Manchester outfit.

Bailey joined the Hatters in the 2023 summer transfer window, and was a key part of the side over his three years in the first team.

He made a total of 111 league appearances in that time, scoring on eight occasions, playing a role in the club gaining promotion from League Two in 2024.

But Sheffield Wednesday are still weighing up all of their options at the moment, meaning no approach has yet been made for the 26-year-old.

Pedersen is working alongside CEO David Bruce at the moment to shape the first team squad for next season.

It has previously been reported that Simon Wilson is closing in on a move to Hillsborough to become the club’s new sporting director, and he previously worked at Stockport and would’ve been crucial to Bailey’s arrival at Edgeley Park.

Odin Bailey move would be smart business by Sheffield Wednesday

Sheffield Wednesday’s squad was depleted of a lot of quality over the last 12 months, and they will need players who can compete at a high level in League One if they’re to get back to a competitive standing.

Bailey showed this year that he’s a top talent in the third tier, playing an important role in Stockport reaching the play-off final.

His signing could be a real coup for Pedersen if they can bring him to the club this summer, and it would be a great endorsement of the project being built.

It will take time to turn things around under the new owners, but this would certainly be a positive start to the rebuilding of the squad, if it comes to fruition.