Danny Röhl makes Sheffield Wednesday admission on 'exciting' free agent possibility

The Owls added four players to a squad that saw four exits in a busy month of activity at S6. Beyond the early addition of Troyes loanee Ike Ugbo, Wednesday are understood to have missed out on targets that would have added to their frontline striker options heading into the second half of the campaign.

Speaking in his first media engagement after the closure of the window, manager Danny Röhl indicated that he and recruitment staff at the club will scour the free agent market for any remaining solutions. Clubs are permitted to make free agent signings outside of transfer windows as per FIFA rules and Wednesday have history of taking advantage of the situation in recent years with the 2021 addition of Nathaniel Mendez-Laing.

Former Newcastle United and Crystal Palace forward Dwight Gayle was released from his Stoke City transfer late on Thursday evening and represents a possible option in theory, as does out-of-contract former Owls man Lucas Joao, whose time playing in China ended last month. The Star has no reason to believe either are existing targets as things stand.

"I think we have to keep our eyes open in this situation," Röhl said. "It's about whether there is an opportunity, if it makes sense and if we can do this. We will look, of course, in the next days. Maybe there is someone who could be interesting or exciting for us and then it's the same game; look if he's available, if he wants to come and if we can get an agreement. We will open our eyes and see what we can do.

"More important for me is that we have our group together, that we have the same direction and that everybody knows they are a part of my group. This is what I want to do, to give my players energy to stay together and give them trust. They have credit because they have performed well and have showed what they can do in this league, in our situation. I trust them."

No post-January rest for the wicked at Middlewood Road, then. With Gayle put to him as a possible name the club might look at, Röhl stayed true to his stance of not discussing individuals when in conversation over transfer possibilities, but did perhaps hint that the addition of a 34-year-old was not what they would seek out given his preference for youth and dynamism.

"I think everybody knows what we are looking for," he said. "It's about opportunity, it must be the right fit and it would make no sense to take someone just to do something, it must be the right fit for our style of football and our identity. It must be a good profile and if someone is on the market and we are convinced then we will do something. In the next days we will take a look, we will make a list and see whether we can do this as a club. We will see if it (the free agent market) is helpful or not."