Sheffield Wednesday has begun to make judgments regarding its out-of-contract players; Lee Gregory and another player are expected to depart S6 this summer.
After three years at Sheffield Wednesday and 29 league goals, Gregory recently wrote a farewell letter to the fans.
Although the 35-year-old led the Owls to promotion from League One, Danny Rohl hasn’t given the player much of a preference since he arrived at Hillsborough in October.
Other players are not under contract, and it appears that there is a great deal of ambiguity surrounding who will stay and who will leave.
Though Windass recently hinted that many players are waiting to see what happens with Rohl this summer, reports have indicated that Barry Bannan and Josh Windass are expected to sign a couple new contracts this summer.
Dejphon Chansiri, the owner of Sheffield Wednesday, and Rohl are currently negotiating a contract. Should Rohl commit his long-term future to the team, many of the players may follow suit.
However, reporter Joe Crann has since verified that another player is leaving the Owls.
Wednesday is George Byers’ departure from Sheffield
Crann has recently disclosed on X that popular midfielder George Byers of Sheffield Wednesday will be a free agent this summer, leaving the team.
Unfortunately, his time in South Yorkshire has come to an end. He was a fan favorite for his technical and vivacious performances during Sheffield Wednesday’s 2022–2023 promotion-winning season, where he scored six goals and provided three assists.
He was also playing frequently under Rohl, but in the January transfer window, Sheffield Wednesday made the perplexing choice to send him on loan to Blackpool.
Since then, Byers has performed admirably for the Seasiders, making 16 appearances in League One and contributing one assist, all while receiving compliments for many of his efforts.
There is a line forming, according to Crann, for
Is Sheffield Wednesday’s release appropriate? George Byers
If Sheffield Wednesday wants to develop over the long haul, they need to be more ruthless. Even still, it seems hasty to release Byers, a valuable and experienced Championship player.
Due to the lack of choices in the middle, Sheffield Wednesday will require a lot of new midfield players after releasing Byers. He has previously demonstrated his ability to compete at this level for Swansea City.
Simply put, Byers doesn’t seem to fit Rohl’s playing philosophy. In games, he was frequently the first player taken off the field, so perhaps the fast-paced style wasn’t his thing—at least not in Rohl’s opinion.
However, releasing Byers allows for
It’s not all bad news for Sheffield Wednesday, either, as Rohl has room on the roster and the wage budget to bring in a player he believes will better fit his playing style.
Nor for Byers, who seems unlikely to be without a team for very long—and for good reason—as he is a highly talented player with plenty of years ahead of him at 27.
