Following his release from Sheffield Wednesday, defender Michael Ihiekwe has been linked to Blackpool and Port Vale as potential summer acquisitions. This summer will mark the end of the 32-year-old’s tenure at Hillsborough after three years, one promotion, and one relegation miracle struggle. Ihiekwe, who started 20 games for Danny Rohl during the 2024–25 season, was released by the Owls, however this has given the former Rotherham United player more options.
He has played in the English third division for the majority of his career. He is a strong candidate to move down the pyramid and be a valuable addition to a League One team because of that and his years in the Championship.
Blackpool and Port Vale are vying for Michael Ihiekwe. The Star claims that Port Vale and Blackpool are eager to sign Ihiekwe this summer. According to reports, an unidentified Championship team and Huddersfield Town, who recently hired Lee Grant as their new manager, are also vying for the center-back.
According to earlier claims from the Sheffield publication, Ihiekwe’s services were sought after by teams in the division below Wednesday’s. It was possible that his departure on Wednesday might have occurred sooner rather than later. He was among the players the club put available for transfer in the January window, but he recovered, found his form again, and was nominated for the March Player of the Month award in the Championship.
Two former Owls head coaches are now managing the Tangerines and the recently promoted Vale. After taking charge in September of last year, Steve Bruce led Bloomfield Road to ninth place in the division.
In an attempt to avoid relegation in the 2023–2024 season, the Valiants signed Darren Moore. Although it was a failed attempt, he managed to get them back into the third division at the first attempt, achieving second place in League Two. During his tenure with the Valiants, he has already managed to carry off one coup d’état against a former Wednesday player. Last July, he agreed to a three-year contract with midfielder George Byers.
Any League One team would benefit from having Michael Ihiekwe on board. Under Rohl, the 32-year-old’s versatility was truly on display as he adjusted to the manager’s various defensive briefs, which frequently called for him to line up in a variety of back-line positions.
Few acquisitions seem guaranteed to succeed, but Ihiekwe seems like a clear choice for any English third division team trying to bolster their defense given his recent experience at a higher level.
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