When Ike Ugbo’s Sheffield Wednesday contract ends as Owls sent clear message | OneFootball

Football League World takes a look at when Ike Ugbo's contract at Sheffield Wednesday expires, while the Owls could struggle to offload the striker.

Sheffield Wednesday have been warned that they could struggle to offload misfiring striker Ike Ugbo amid the continued financial hardship at Hillsborough and the striker's own dismal form infront of goal since returning to the club.

Henrik Pedersen's Wednesday remain rooted to the bottom of the Championship table on -7 points, while Ugbo is yet to score this term amid injury struggles - though he has not been short of opportunities to do so.

The Canada international also failed to score in 34 league outings last season, despite playing for the Owls under the successful stewardship of former boss Danny Rohl. Ugbo lit it up in the blue-and-white quarters of the Steel City while on loan, of course, but he has completely lost his goalscoring touch since returning to sign on a permanent basis and, as the Owls look towards a new future, it remains to be seen exactly where the striker figures within that.

Meanwhile, Wednesday could be taken over by a consortium led by James Bord, which would bring an end to their current period in administration.

Ike Ugbo's Sheffield Wednesday contract set to expire in 2028 amid clear Owls message

Although the Owls are set to be relegated to League One, the South Yorkshire outfit will be keen to utilise the January transfer window - EFL-permitting - to put the foundations in place for a future rebuild.

With that in mind, the Hillsborough club could look to offload Ugbo, who has consistently struggled to perform in front of goal.

However, an exit in the summer would look more likely given how short-staffed the Yorkshire side are at the minute, while the striker is not due to find himself out of contract anytime soon. Football League World's Wednesday fan pundit, Patrick McKenna, said: "Unfortunately, with regard to Ike Ugbo, I don't think we have the luxury of offloading him in January, so I don't think we'll get the chance to get rid of him until the summer.

"For this player, we have to come to the realisation that we're going to get nowhere what we paid for him. He's been a complete and utter dud. He's hitting 50 games without a goal or an assist, and I'm more likely to score for Sheffield Wednesday at this stage.

"Even with the farcical running of the club, what he has produced since he signed permanently is just far from acceptable, and I think he's only here because we need numbers. We need players, whoever they are.

"But once we can offload him, hopefully in the summer, I think we just have to bite the bullet on it and take the loss, because ultimately that is a better option than keeping him here and paying him a wage that he isn't going to justify."

According to Capology, Ugbo's contract at Wednesday expires in 2028, but Pedersen's side should be keen to offload the 27-year-old well before then.

However, as alluded to by Patrick, his poor form in the final third means a sale could be difficult.

Ike Ugbo's 2023/24 efforts seem more distant than ever at Sheffield Wednesday

Ugbo has now failed to score in each of his last 52 Championship appearances for the Owls, so supporters of the South Yorkshire side may now struggle to remember that his career at Hillsborough began with fine goal-scoring form.

The former Chelsea youth academy player initially joined the second-tier outfit on loan from French Ligue 2 side Troyes in January 2024, scoring seven goals in 18 league appearances.

Those efforts proved crucial to Wednesday's Championship survival under ex-boss Rohl, which is now a distant memory given that Ugbo is struggling in front of goal for the third-tier-bound Owls.