Sheffield Wednesday have received a major boost in their quest to maintain their squad, The Star understands.
Wednesday players were given the choice to essentially tender notices to leave the club at the end of the month after being paid late for the fourth time in five months. Individuals have the right under FIFA rules to challenge the terms of their contracts and potentially walk away as free agents if they are paid late in successive months.
A rocky summer reached a new low last month when goal-scoring duo Josh Windass and Michael Smith left on mutual consent to join Wrexham and Preston North End, respectively. Further concerns were raised this month, with the understanding that a small number of players had expressed their desire to give in notices to the club and follow suit.
One of those players was Max Lowe, a defender. However, with the 15-day notice period approaching, The Star can reveal that the 28-year-old has virtually withdrawn his claim to commit his immediate future to the Hillsborough club after internal efforts to persuade him of his position in the underdog mission at S6 were well received. Lowe, who played the entire of the Owls’ Championship opener against Leicester City on Sunday, is thought to have sparked serious interest from a number of clubs, and his choice comes as a major benefit to a club that is short on experienced players.
The Star understands that other players who had expressed an interest in leaving Wednesday have also committed their immediate future to the club, and that no Owls players are expected to leave this month in the same way that Windass and Smith did. Last week, new Owls manager Henrik Pedersen expressed optimism that his squad will remain intact despite notices being tendered. The Danish manager is thought to have undertaken meetings with players about their futures, which appear to have gone as planned.
“They know how amazing the club is so I don’t need to say a lot of words,” according to him. “Our players would love to stay here; this is not a question for them. Also, the players who have departed adore our club. “So, what can I do for them? What role do they play in the future? What can I do during training? What can I do with my playing philosophy? And we can talk about things that are beyond our control, but I have no effect.”
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