Harlee Dean has already shown what he can bring to Sheffield Wednesday amid fresh links

Sheffield Wednesday have been linked with Harlee Dean ever since his loan spell expired at the end of last season. The Birmingham City defender spent the backend of the 2021-22 campaign at Hillsborough and made nine appearances as the Owls painfully missed out on promotion.

BirminghamLive suggest Wednesday remain “interested” in Dean, who is surplus to requirements at the Blues under Lee Bowyer. Darren Moore has already added five players - all on free transfers - to his ranks as he aims to mount a promotion charge.

YorkshireLive profiles the 30-year-old while analysing what he could offer for the Owls next season.

Born in Basingstoke, Dean earned his stripes as a professional footballer the hard way. After struggling to break through at Dagenham & Redbridge, the then youngster had several loan stints in the Conference and Isthmian League.

The Daggers released Dean in 2010 and, surprisingly, Southampton added him to their youth ranks. He failed to make a single appearance for the Saints in two years and was offloaded to Brentford - and his career finally took off.

Over 200 games for the Bees allowed Dean to build a strong reputation in League One. Promotion to the Championship in 2013-14 laid the foundations for the Premier League side Brentford are today.

A stellar campaign in 2016-17 saw Bees supporters name him their player of the season. Birmingham came calling the following summer where he has played ever since, aside from the brief stint at Wednesday last year.

Dean - a former Birmingham captain - has admitted his days as a Blues player appear over. Speaking to The Mirror earlier this year, he said: “I don’t know what happened to be honest. I don’t know whether it was down to finances and the way they are