Sheffield Wednesday faces a crucial summer after successfully securing their place in the Championship. The club, known as the Owls, appeared destined for an immediate drop back to League One following a poor start to the season under Xisco Munoz. However, a remarkable turnaround under Danny Rohl saw them finish 20th, ensuring their safety. Despite initial fears among fans that Rohl might depart this summer, he has committed to the club by signing a new long-term contract last month.
| Championship standings 2023/24 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | P | GD | Pts | |
| 17 | Stoke City | 46 | -11 | 56 |
| 18 | QPR | 46 | -11 | 56 |
| 19 | Blackburn Rovers | 46 | -14 | 53 |
| 20 | Sheffield Wednesday | 46 | -24 | 53 |
| 21 | Plymouth Argyle | 46 | -11 | 51 |
| 22 | Birmingham City (R) | 46 | -15 | 50 |
| 23 | Huddersfield Town (R) | 46 | -29 | 45 |
| 24 | Rotherham United (R) | 46 | -52 | 27 |
Rohl now faces a busy summer as he aims to rebuild the squad. Several loanees, including James Beadle, Kristian Pedersen, Jeff Hendrick, Momo Diaby, Ian Poveda, Ike Ugbo, and Ashley Fletcher, have returned to their parent clubs. Additionally, the club has released Ciaran Brennan, Reece James, George Byers, Tyreeq Bakinson, Juan Delgado, and Lee Gregory following the expiration of their contracts.
Cameron Dawson, Liam Palmer, Dominic Iorfa, Di’Shon Bernard, Will Vaulks, Barry Bannan, and Josh Windass were all offered new contracts. However, only Palmer and Bannan have committed to staying with the club so far. Dawson has announced his intention to leave in search of regular first-team football, while Vaulks has declined a new contract to join newly-promoted Oxford United.
Football Insider recently reported that Windass is the latest player to reject a new deal, with interest from clubs such as Coventry City, Hull City, Derby County, Stoke City, West Bromwich Albion, and Birmingham City. While Dawson’s departure is expected, losing Vaulks and Windass is a significant setback for the Owls. These departures increase scrutiny on owner Dejphon Chansiri as the club navigates this critical period.