Sheffield Wednesday appear set to end interest in forward target as complication now emerges

23 Anthony BRIANCON (asse) - 07 Jeremy LIVOLANT (fcgb) during the Ligue 2 BKT match between Saint-Etienne and Bordeaux at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard on April 20, 2024 in Saint-Etienne, France.(Photo by Alexandre Dimou/Icon Sport via Getty Images)

Sheffield Wednesday appears to be resuming their summer transfer activities with renewed vigor.

Nearly a month has passed since the club brought in Nathaniel Chalobah, marking the longest period without a new addition since the transfer window began. As their Championship opener approaches, the team is now focused on strengthening their offensive lineup by targeting another player.

Although Ike Ugbo remains a significant target, it seems the Owls are currently shifting their attention to acquiring a new winger.

Sheffield Wednesday and Stoke City end pursuit of attacker

Yesterday, it was reported that Sheffield Wednesday had joined Stoke City in making contact with free agent Jeremy Livolant, who recently left Bordeaux.

The 26-year-old scored five goals and provided four assists in Ligue 2 last season before Bordeaux filed for bankruptcy. TEAMtalk initially reported that Stoke City was close to signing Livolant, but journalist Darren Witcoop has now claimed the deal is off. Despite Livolant’s four goal contributions in Bordeaux’s final three matches, he may have sustained an injury over the summer, which could explain why Sheffield Wednesday did not pursue him further.

The Owls need to focus on three key positions

Livolant isn’t a significant loss for Danny Rohl’s squad, as they have already secured the signings of Olaf Kobacki and Jamal Lowe.

Sheffield Wednesday now boasts a long list of players capable of playing out wide and arguably doesn’t need to reinforce that position any further.

The Yorkshire club should instead prioritize acquiring a striker, a central midfielder, and a center-back. They need to act quickly if they want to secure these new signings before playing several matches.

The potential return of Ike Ugbo is great news, but there has been little discussion about reinforcing other areas of the pitch.

Rohl has expressed a desire to add a new midfielder and defender, but he doesn’t seem to be in a hurry to do so.

The German coach must hope that Nathaniel Chalobah and Barry Bannan remain fit, given their squad’s lack of depth, especially since Chalobah only started seven games last season.