How Sheffield Wednesday have benefited from Sunderland's January transfer gamble

It was a transfer Sheffield Wednesday thought they had got over the line in the January transfer window. But at the eleventh hour, Danny Batth rejected the Owls' overtures and opted to move to Sunderland.

Batth headed to Wearside on a free transfer, penning an 18-month deal with the Owls' League One rivals. He left Stoke City after making 107 appearances for the Championship outfit in a two-year spell.

So how have things panned out for Batth? He made a strong start to his Sunderland career, producing a commanding performance in the Black Cats 1-0 home win over Portsmouth.

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His second Sunderland outing, though, did not go according to plan. Batth, who has previously had two loan spells with Wednesday, scored an own goal as the Black Cats were trounced 6-0 by Bolton Wanderers.

He also featured in defeats against Doncaster Rovers and Cheltenham Town but has not played a competitive match since February 8 due to an ankle problem. The injury has flared up several times when he has tried to resume training, preventing him from making a single appearance under Alex Neil since the Scot replaced Lee Johnson in the managerial hot-seat.

But Batth is closing in on a first-team return after completing 90 minutes for the Black Cats' Under-23s side against Burnley last week. "Obviously the manager [Alex Neil] just wants me to get back and back into training," said Batth.

"I'll use the next few weeks to build up and then see where we're at then. Hopefully I'll be ready. The team have been doing well but I always feel like I can help improve and have a big part to play at the club going forward."

Sunderland are seventh in League One, two