Sheffield Wednesday are thought to be open to loan offers for out of favour striker Akpo Sodje in a bid to try and get the striker firing on all cylinders following a series of frustrating injury setbacks.
Sodje joined the Owls in August 2007 and became something of a talisman for the club, weighing in with 7 goals in 16 starts including the opener in a 2-0 win over arch enemy Sheffield United at Hillsborough.
Injury curtailed his encouraging start in what was a difficult season for the club and since then he has only managed 2 starts, neither of which were this season and in fact by the time the Owls take to the field again, against Ipswich next Saturday, it will have been over a year since his last appearance in the 1st teams starting line up.
Comparisons have been made with right-back Frank Simek who spent a lengthy spell on the sidelines and was touted for a loan move to sharpen up earlier in the season. In Simek’s case however, the full-back made gradual progress in the reserves and has worked his way back into the first team picture.
Anyone who has seen Sodje’s games for the second string or his fleeting substitute appearances for the first team this season will vouch for the fact that he seems way off the pace and simply doesn’t look a threat.
Wednesday’s main problems do not lie in attack at the moment. Marcus Tudgay and Luke Varney appear to have a decent understanding when paired together and although Leon Clarke has missed key chances in recent games he has at least got into scoring positions and seems far more likely than Sodje to make an impact at the moment.
Even the much maligned Francis Jeffers has outshone the former Port Vale man in the last couple of away games and seems to be above him in the current pecking order.
A month on loan at a lower league club therefore seems like a sensible option for Sodje as if he could get a handful of games under his belt and get in amongst the goals he would surely return a fitter, hungrier, more confident player.
If anything is to happen on this front a deal would need to be agreed soon as the loan transfer window closes Thursday 26th November.