Millwall's Barry Bannan set for Sheffield Wednesday return? How David Storch now feels about it | OneFootball

Barry Bannan could find his way back to Sheffield Wednesday, just months after his decade-long stint came to an end

The 2025/26 campaign was a truly difficult one for Sheffield Wednesday fans, but arguably the worst day of them all came when Barry Bannan departed for Millwall.

Despite all the hardships at Hillsborough, many believed that Bannan was going to see out his career with the Owls.

After all, he'd stuck with the club through relegation to League One in 2021, despite being levels above the third tier, and when players were leaving last summer amidst uncertainty surrounding the club, the 36-year-old once again refused to walk away, instead training whilst not under contract until a new deal was signed a week before the season began.

Unfortunately, though, that only prolonged a departure, and in January, after Bannan wasn't given the reassurances he needed with the club in administration, he moved on and signed an 18-month contract with Millwall.

At the time, the administrators at Hillsborough were in exclusivity with former professional poker player James Bord, but those talks broke down after the Scotsman left, and Wednesday pivoted to the Arise consortium led by David Storch, with the takeover being completed on May 2.

Sheffield Wednesday could be in a position to re-sign Barry Bannan this summer

Now, the uncertainty surrounding the short-term future of Sheffield Wednesday has been resolved, and the Owls are getting ready to begin their rebuild in League One on a level playing field with no points deductions, nor any salary cap restrictions.

That rebuild could begin with the return of a legend, as, according to the Sheffield Star, a reunion between Wednesday and Bannan "remains a possibility."

The 36-year-old's campaign came to an end on Monday night, as Millwall fell short in the play-offs after losing to Hull City at the Den. Bannan came off the bench just past the hour mark, a sight that has become the norm since he made the move in January.

The midfield veteran isn't getting older, and with his role already being that of a squad player ahead of a summer where the Lions are likely going to strengthen to attempt to go one better than their third-placed finish this season, he may be surplus to requirements just months after making the switch.

Therefore, if Bannan were to be on the move again this summer, it would be a sentimental no-brainer for him to make a Hillsborough return. Indeed, the article states that sources close to the Wednesday training room suggest that there's a level of expectation that it will be the case.

The Owls are yet to appoint a new sporting director under the new ownership, and the Star states that the club haven't made any final decisions on whether they will pursue Bannan just yet. Perhaps it won't be until the said sporting director is in the door that they will.

A Barry Bannan, Sheffield Wednesday reunion makes perfect sense

Sheffield Wednesday will be in a position to undergo a squad refresh this summer, and with that, younger players with high sell-on potential could be targeted. Even with that, though, Bannan must be one of the first names on the transfer wishlist this summer at Hillsborough.

Firstly, the 36-year-old would still be a good operator in the engine room in the third tier in spite of his age, and his veteran status would be a massive help to some of the youngsters expected to be bred into the Wednesday senior squad next season.

But overall, the opportunity for Bannan to finish his career with a club he is regarded as a legend at shouldn't be one that the higher-ups should get in the way of, especially given that, if not for the state of Sheffield Wednesday in the past year, he would have remained there anyway.

The Scotsman has made 477 appearances for the Owls, close to 400 more than he has at any other club, and with his career entering its twilight years, Wednesday fans would love nothing more than to see him become the fifth player to cross 500 games for the famous club.

With his time at Millwall seeing him ride the bench more often than he starts, a return to Wednesday this summer makes perfect sense.