Sheffield Wednesday sit in a precarious position among the worst performers in the league but with 13 games remaining, the side have already clawed back a chance to stay in the league.
Club manager Danny Röhl seems relatively confident of his side’s survival and has recently focused on future incomings, hoping to land a permanent deal for Ian Poveda in the summer window.
Poveda, who is currently on loan at Hillsborough from Leeds United, has impressed for the Owls since arriving in January. So far, the Colombian winger has played five matches in the Championship for his new side and offered a crucial assist against Birmingham City during a 2-0 win in early February.
The 24-year-old’s contract is set to expire at Elland Road in the summer, which could allow Wednesday to swoop in for him on a free transfer. Not only would this be a huge financial success for the club, but Poveda would likely provide a key attacking spark for the side next year if they were to stay up this season.
In an update from The Star, Röhl is reportedly interested in turning the two-cap Colombia international’s loan deal into a permanent one in the summer. With the manager’s sights set on the future, it may prove that the backroom staff are brimming with confidence about staying in the league this season.
With talks dependent on the Owls’ survival, when speaking about Poveda’s performances and the likelihood of the winger receiving a permanent deal with the club, the Sheffield Wednesday manager had this to say [quotes via The Star]:
“If we do our homework and achieve our goals then we have some very good arguments to keep some players here,” Rohl said.
“They trust us and we have given some great self-confidence. If you come from some clubs where you didn’t play then your self-confidence is not so high. We have brought that back. We’ll see.”
Writer’s View
With the focus remaining on an impending relegation scrap in the league this season, the future under Röhl looks optimistic for the Owls. Having completely changed the mentality of the players and the fans since his arrival in October, survival looks well within reach.
Despite only recording one assist for Sheffield Wednesday since his arrival in the January window, Poveda has turned in eye-catching performances for the club and there is clear admiration from the supporters and his manager. If he is allowed to flourish in this relegation battle, he may be the difference they need and could find himself at Hillsborough permanently next season.
