Sheffield Wednesday, Huddersfield & Reading in transfer tussle as £500k+ bids accepted | OneFootball

Reading are leading the way in a £500,000 transfer tussle with Huddersfield Town and Sheffield Wednesday for one of League Two's stars...

Reading, Huddersfield Town, and Sheffield Wednesday are undoubtedly among the biggest clubs in League One heading into the 2026/27 season, which brings both opportunity and challenges in the transfer market.

All three have sizeable fanbases, big history, and with that comes the ambition of securing promotion. However, that means they are often targeting the same calibre of player, whether it is proven and experienced League One performers, promising youngsters from Premier League academies, or standout talents from League Two.

There is significant overlap in the profiles these clubs will pursue. As a result, recruitment battles are inevitable throughout the summer between Reading, Wednesday, and Huddersfield. Convincing players to choose one project over another could prove to be crucial in determining who gains the upper hand in the promotion race.

With so much quality and expectation concentrated among a handful of clubs, success in the transfer market may be just as important as performances on the pitch in deciding who escapes the division. There is a League Two star that has caught the eyes of the trio already, too.

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Kyreece Lisbie had an outstanding campaign with Colchester United in League Two. He had made four appearances prior to 2025/26 but scored 11 and assisted eight in 51 games in the most recent season, with the 22-year-old establishing himself as one of the division's most exciting young attacking talents.

Regular senior football appeared to accelerate his progress, with Lisbie demonstrating the confidence and maturity needed to impact matches consistently at EFL level. However, it now looks as though he is already in a position to make the step up to the third tier from the fourth division.

Football pedigree evidently runs in the family. Kyreece is the son of former Charlton Athletic, Colchester United, and Ipswich Town striker Kevin Lisbie, who enjoyed a lengthy professional career across the EFL. He is also the twin brother of Kyrell Lisbie, who has been making his own name in the game with Peterborough United in League One.

While comparisons are inevitable after the pair both had breakout campaigns in 2025/26, Kyreece's performances at Colchester suggest he is carving out an exciting path of his own.

A number of League One clubs have been in the mix for Lisbie this summer, with Football League World exclusively revealing last week that Sheffield Wednesday and Huddersfield Town were joining the likes of Reading and Oxford United as interested parties.

And in an update on the back of that, the Reading Chronicle's Ramy Abou-Setta has claimed that the Owls, Terriers and Royals have all had offers accepted for Lisbie's services, as well as agreeing to his personal terms - despite Peterborough United owner Darragh MacAnthony claiming earlier in the week that Wednesday will not be signing the twin brother of Posh's Kyrell.

Lisbie is now set to make a decision on which club he will join this week, with the player previously having mentioned his desire to join the Royals.

The report adds that the fee is estimated to be around £500,000 - £750,000 to sign Lisbie, which could end up being somewhat of a bargain if he continues his upward trajectory.

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A move to Reading is likely to hold particular appeal for Lisbie given the geographical factor involved. Having grown up in the south of England, a switch to Berkshire would keep him relatively close to familiar surroundings while still offering the opportunity to join one of League One's most ambitious clubs.

Reading are also looking to get back on track after narrowly missing out on the play-offs for a couple of seasons now. Their likely upward trajectory in 2026/27 could present a clear pathway for a young player to develop closer to home.

That said, Sheffield Wednesday would be an attractive option in their own right in their current state. Following relegation from the Championship, the Owls are embarking on a major rebuild under David Storch's ownership, with expectations of an immediate promotion challenge.

The chance to become part of a high-profile project at one of the division's biggest clubs could be difficult for Lisbie to turn down. Huddersfield, in their own right, are also one of the division's big names. It's not a simple choice for Lisbie at all, with perhaps his pathway to regular minutes being the most crucial factor of all.