Sheffield Wednesday is reportedly in competition with Championship rivals West Brom for the signing of a free agent center-back. This pursuit is part of a broader strategy to bolster their squad ahead of the 2024/25 Championship season.
Sheffield Wednesday is set to finalize their ninth signing of the summer with former England international midfielder Nathaniel Chalobah joining on a free transfer. This addition strengthens Danny Röhl’s squad as they prepare for the upcoming season, which begins in August.
The club is also looking to bring back Ike Ugbo after his impressive loan spell in the latter half of the 2023/24 season. Additionally, there are tentative links to another former loan player, Ian Poveda.
In the midst of these activities, Sheffield Wednesday is now targeting a new player, a free agent center-back, though they face stiff competition from West Brom for his signature.
Sheffield Wednesday rivalling West Brom in race to sign Mickael Nade
Reports from the French national outlet L’Equipe indicate that both Sheffield Wednesday and West Brom are interested in center-back Mickael Nade. The 25-year-old is currently a free agent, having been released by St Etienne, where he has spent his entire career so far.
Nade made his first-team debut in 2017 and has since accumulated 79 appearances for St Etienne. In the most recent season, he made 26 appearances in Ligue 2, contributing to the team’s promotion to Ligue 1.
While St Etienne hopes to re-sign Nade ahead of the 2024/25 campaign, the Championship clubs Sheffield Wednesday and West Brom are also expressing their interest in the French defender.
Mickael Nade arrival at Sheffield Wednesday may suggest heartbreak for Danny Rohl
Emerging links to a center-back are particularly exciting for Sheffield Wednesday, as this is a position Danny Röhl urgently needs to strengthen. Currently, Röhl’s options include Michael Ihiekwe, Bambo Diaby, and Dominic Iorfa, with Di’Shon Bernard technically out of contract.
The interest in Mickael Nade suggests that Sheffield Wednesday might be preparing for the possibility of missing out on Bernard, whose future remains uncertain. Re-signing Bernard would be a significant achievement for the club, but the Jamaican international is attracting interest from other Championship teams and clubs across Europe, making it challenging to secure his return.
However, if Sheffield Wednesday continues to make strong additions during this summer transfer window, it might increase their chances of convincing Bernard to come back to S6.