Sheffield Wednesday relegation rivals stripped of star man who is an old thorn in Owls' side

Finn Azaz is a player well known to Wednesday fans having produced enjoyed a stellar campaign in League One last season as his Plymouth Argyle side ultimately beat the Owls to automatic promotion.

He has picked up where he left off and then some this time out on a second loan from parent club Aston Villa, scoring seven goals and providing five assists; playing a direct hand in nearly 30% of their Championship goals.

Reports from the North East earlier this week linked the 23-year-old with interest from fellow second tier side Middlesbrough. A widely-reported fee of around £2.5m seems to have done the trick after Villa recalled the tricky midfielder, confirmation coming via statements from both Plymouth and the Midlands club on Wednesday evening.

Plymouth are currently being manager by the club's director of football Neil Dewsnip after highly-rated boss Steven Schumacher left for Stoke City on December 19. Results under Dewsnip have been relatively good - drawing three times and losing once - a run of form that leaves them 18th in the table and seven points clear of the Owls in the first relegation spot.

As has become common in the modern game, January will likely see a number of 'season-long' loan moves cancelled across the Championship. Earlier this week it was confirmed that John Buckley's time at Hillsborough was terminated as the injured midfielder headed back to his parent club Blackburn Rovers.