Sheffield Wednesday hand out first pro deals to promising U23s duo

Centre-half Josh Ashman and left-back Fuad Sesay have both signed first-year professional terms at Sheffield Wednesday after graduating from the academy squad. The pair will now spend 2022/23 in the Owls' Under-23 squad under the watchful eye of coach Neil Thompson.

Towering 18-year-old Ashman has been on the Hillsborough books since the age of 14. Sheffield-born, he previously played junior football for Sheffield Boys, Qualitas and Sheffield Wednesday and states that Lionel Messi is his footballing role model.

Sesay, who is also 18, joined Wednesday from Southampton two years ago to begin his scholarship in South Yorkshire. He was born in London and has Sierra Leonean nationality.

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He hails Luke Shaw, Alfonso Davies, Jordi Alba, David Alaba and Ferland Mendy as his footballing inspirations. Sam Durrant and Bobby Dunn have also been added to the Owls' Under-23 squad after both spent time at S6 as trialists last term and impressed the coaching staff at Middlewood Road.

Former Liverpool schoolboy Durrant's last club was Blackburn Rovers and he is is described as a creative attacking player. The 20-year-old scored a spectacular, long-range goal during the under-23s' 2-1 defeat at Millwall in a Professional Development League meeting between the two clubs last month.

Central-midfielder Dunn, meanwhile, progressed through the ranks at Charlton and, still only 18, he also has experience of playing in the Isthmian League with Ramsgate. Wednesday's under-23s currently have two friendlies scheduled.

Both are away fixtures with newly-promoted National League North outfit Buxton the hosts in a 7.45pm kick off on Tuesday, July 12. Two nights later, the