Sheffield Wednesday is actively seeking a new centre-back this summer. Although the team’s defence significantly improved during the latter part of the 2023/24 season, conceding only four goals in their last six matches, their current defensive lineup still lacks the quality and depth required to advance up the Championship table.
Di’Shon Bernard and Dominic Iorfa are expected to start in the upcoming match against Plymouth, but there are concerns about the reliability of their backup options.
As Sheffield Wednesday waits to secure a new centre-back, some fans may reminisce about the dependable Mark McGuinness. The former Arsenal academy player was on loan with the Owls in 2022, where he made a substantial impact by winning back-to-back player of the month awards and achieving eleven clean sheets in just 17 league games.
McGuinness quickly became a fan favourite at Hillsborough, with striker Michael Smith even referring to him as a ‘Rolls Royce’ defender. Cardiff City, recognizing his impressive form, recalled him in January. Despite Darren Moore expressing interest in a permanent transfer, Cardiff City declined to sell and McGuinness subsequently signed a new four-year contract. He then went on to make 30 appearances in the Championship last season.
Ex-Sheffield Wednesday fan favourite now worth eight figures
It’s uncertain how much Sheffield Wednesday would have needed to pay to re-sign Mark McGuinness, but Transfermarkt estimated his value at between £2-£3 million. This now seems like a bargain, as reports suggest Cardiff City is demanding more than three times that amount.
Wales Online has indicated that Luton Town is interested in acquiring McGuinness. However, Cardiff City is reportedly seeking over £10 million to release the 23-year-old.
Cardiff City feels they are in a strong negotiating position and have no pressing need to sell. If McGuinness were to leave, he would become their record departure.
Could the Owls have ever afford Mark McGuinness?
McGuinness was an outstanding player for Sheffield Wednesday, and his presence would have significantly eased their promotion campaign to the Championship if he had remained with the club. However, given that Wednesday was in League One when he returned to Cardiff City, it was always going to be a considerable challenge to re-sign him.
At that time, McGuinness was already valued at seven figures. Even if he had been available during the summer, it seemed highly unlikely that Dejphon Chansiri would be willing to spend £3 million to bring him back to Yorkshire.
Wednesday missed out on a player with considerable potential last year, but he wasn’t the first to slip through their fingers, and he certainly won’t be the last. The silver lining is that Danny Rohl now has the ability to attract players of McGuinness’ caliber to the club. Fans are hopeful that if Rohl promises to secure a new centre-back who can bolster the defence, he will deliver on that commitment in the coming weeks.