The summer transfer window closed on Tuesday and with clubs now unable to buy contracted players until the window reopens in January the focus of attention will shift to the loan market.
Wednesday refrained from doing any business in the days leading up to the latest transfer deadline and for the most part that would appear to be good news.
The main interest in terms of players going out appeared to come from Ipswich Town, who apparently made a bid in the region £700,000 for centre-back Richard Wood. The defender had also attracted interest from Coventry City last season and the amount offered may reflect that contract talks between Wednesday and the player stalled during the summer.
Although I have not always been Wood’s biggest advocate, the decision to keep the defender must be seen as a positive at this stage. After a shaky start he appears to be forging a good partnership alongside new captain Darren Purse and the defence certainly seems to have more solidity than at the same stage last season.
Brian Laws has indicated that a loan market move may be of interest to him but this would only come about if the Owls could let some players go out first due to finances. This is nothing new to Wednesday and not a circumstance that is unique to the club with many Championship rivals being in the same position.
There are a number of players at the club that could benefit from a loan move at this stage. Top of the list has to be Francis Jeffers. The striker has lost his way at Hillsborough and most fans wouldn’t be disappointed if he never pulled on the blue and white stripes again. His days as a Wednesday player appear to be numbered and it would take a turnaround of major proportions to change that.
From a different perspective, Frank Simek and Mark Beevers may also benefit from a short spell at another club.
Simek has looked a shadow of his former self since returning from long-term injury and desperately needs to get a run of competitive games under his belt in a bid to find his form of old. At his best Simek would be among the top right-backs at this level but he looks a long way from this at the moment.
Mark Beevers burst on to the scene a couple of years ago and was tipped for great things but lost his place as a regular last season and has not progressed as well as many expected.
The problem with allowing the latter two out on loan would be the amount of cover for these positions in the Owls squad. Richard Hinds is capable of filling in for either of them should the Owls suffer injury or suspension problems in these positions and Wednesday could possibly put a clause into any release that would allow a recall if required.
Laws has suggested that another attacking player could be an option if the Owls were to make a move in the loan market but is this really what Wednesday need at this stage? Marcus Tudgay got off to a slow start this season but is finding his form again and loan man Luke Varney appears to be the perfect foil for him with the pair forming a productive partnership thus far. With Sodje and Clarke expected to make imminent full returns from niggling injuries the Owls appear to have enough attacking options at the moment and may be better off holding fire in the loan market unless a player of proven quality over and above what the club currently have becomes available.