“An influx of new faces” – Sheffield Wednesday’s summer plans highlighted

Sheffield Wednesday will bring in “an influx of new faces” this summer to bolster their youth ranks, according to Yorkshire Live’s Dom Howson. 

Earlier this month Wednesday confirmed that nine U23s players – Kwame Boateng, Alex Bonnington, Josh Dawodu, Lewis Farmer, Charles Hagan, Jayden Onen, Josh Render, Declan Thompson, and Liam Waldock – will be leaving the club this summer at the expiration of their current deals.

Owls boss Darren Moore said they had made the decisions early to allow the departing players the chance to earn contracts at other clubs.

Losing nine players from the U23s creates a problem for Wednesday ahead of the 2022/23 campaign and, in a Q&A for Yorkshire Live, Howson has revealed how the Yorkshire club will look to solve it.

He explained: “Wednesday have promoted a number of their Under-18s players. They are taking a closer look right now at some of them.

“There will be an influx of new faces who come in over the summer. The squad is thin and I am sure the plan will be to recruit some older players to help the younger ones out.

“Trialists will be coming in between now and the end of the season. Competition is fierce when it comes to recruitment so Wednesday are trying their best to get ahead of the game.”

The club’s ability to attract young talent is likely to be impacted by how the current campaign finishes, with Moore’s side currently one point outside the play-offs in seventh as they push for promotion to the Championship.

The Verdict

Turnover in youth squads happens fairly regularly at most clubs but it may have taken some Wednesday fans by surprise to see nine players are departing at the end of their contracts.

Making the decision this early is a wise move from the Owls as it allows them to