Sheffield Wednesday should avoid Onel Hernandez gamble - Norwich City evidence is a red flag | OneFootball

Sheffield Wednesday should be cautious about offering a contract to former Norwich City winger Onel Hernandez.

With the end of the summer transfer window fast approaching, it is fair to say that Sheffield Wednesday are in desperate need of new signings.

Amid a summer of off-field turmoil, Wednesday's squad has been severely depleted, with the likes of Anthony Musaba and Djeidi Gassama being sold by owner Dejphon Chansiri to raise funds to pay players and staff, while the contracts of Josh Windass and Michael Smith were terminated by mutual consent after they handed in their notices.

The mass exodus over the summer has left the Owls with just 15 senior players, and that number has been reduced down to 14 after midfielder Nathaniel Chalobah suffered a long-term injury, increasing the need for reinforcements.

Having failed to pay the wages of players and staff on time for four of the past five months, Wednesday have had their transfer fee ban extended, meaning they will now not be able to spend money on signings for the next four windows.

That means the Owls are restricted to free transfers or loans that do not require fees, and with the clock ticking to the deadline on 1st September, the troubled South Yorkshire outfit will need to step up their attempts to bolster their squad.

Sheffield Wednesday running the rule over ex-Norwich City winger Onel Hernandez

Wednesday put in a spirited performance in their narrow 2-1 defeat at Leicester City on the opening weekend, but the reality of their situation was laid bare as they were comprehensively beaten by Stoke City at Hillsborough on Saturday.

Manager Henrik Pedersen had been optimistic of bringing in a few signings before the game against the Potters, but it was revealed last week that the Owls will not be given the green light to complete deals until Chansiri can satisfy the EFL that he will be able to pay the wages of any new additions.

Given Chansiri's track record this summer, it is difficult to be confident that he will be able to provide the necessary guarantees, but it seems Wednesday are still continuing to line up potential signings, and after being linked with the likes of the likes of Liam Cooper, Harry Amass and Stuart Armstrong, The Star reported on Sunday that former Norwich City winger Onel Hernandez is training with the club.

Hernandez is currently a free agent after departing Carrow Road at the end of his contract this summer, and he has enjoyed plenty of success in the Championship over the years, most notably helping the Canaries to the Championship title on two occasions in 2019 and 2021.

However, after making a positive early impression, the final years of Hernandez's time at Norwich were much less successful, and the Owls must not ignore those red flags.

Sheffield Wednesday should be cautious over potential Onel Hernandez deal

Having lost 41 of their 60 Championship goals from last season through player departures, it is clear that Wednesday need to strengthen in the attacking areas if they are to have any chance of staying in the division this season.

Of course, the fact that the Owls are only able to shop in the free agent and loan market significantly limits the quality of player they can sign, but Hernandez does at least have plenty of second tier experience.

Hernandez's best season for Norwich came in the 2018-19 campaign when he scored nine goals and provided 10 assists in 43 appearances, but that was a long time ago now, and he has been unable to reach anywhere near the same heights in the subsequent years.

The 32-year-old scored just two goals and provided four assists in 26 appearances for the Canaries last season, and both of those strikes came in an EFL Cup tie against League One side Stevenage, so Wednesday would certainly not be getting a player in good form.

Hernandez was also dropped by Norwich for the game against Sunderland back in April after he liked various posts on social media that appeared to be critical of then-head coach Johannes Hoff Thorup, and while it is far from the worst crime in the world, it does raise question marks about his discipline.

Given their lack of quality, Wednesday will be reliant on a strong team spirit and togetherness to get them through a challenging season, so Pedersen must ensure that he does not bring in any characters who will disrupt the unity within the squad, and with that in mind, he would be taking a gamble in offering Hernandez a contract.