Sheffield Wednesday eye defender who’ll be free 72 hours before deadline

Sheffield Wednesday are “keen to get a deal done” for the January signing of a player who has impressed Danny Rohl, according to reliable journalist Joe Crann.

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Owl supporters are continuing to dream big this season, staying in touch with those battling for a place in the Championship playoffs. So often in recent years, the club have either been in League 1 or battling to stay in the second tier, but things feel more promising this time around.

Rohl is doing an excellent job, guiding Wednesday to 10th place in the table and only three points adrift of the playoff places, and while still arguably outsiders to finish in the top six, they do feel in the mix currently.

New signings will only aid the Owls in their quest to return to the Premier League for the first time since 2000, and they have been linked with fresh faces in the current transfer window. Former Southampton midfielder Stuart Armstrong is one such figure, with the 32-year-old now playing for Vancouver Whitecaps in Canada.

Meanwhile, Nottingham Forest striker Emmanuel Dennis has also been seen as an option, having played no part in a brilliant season for Nuno Espirito Santo’s side. A loan move to Hillsborough has been mooted for the 27-year-old.

Sheffield Wednesday want to seal free left-back signing

According to a new update from The Star‘s Crann on X, Sheffield Wednesday are pushing to sign Vissel Kobe left-back Ryo Hatsuse in the January transfer window, having caught the eye of Rohl during a spell training with his side.

“Understand SWFC are keen to get a deal done to make Ryo Hatsuse an Owl once his Vissel Kobe deal expires – the Japanese defender has impressed Danny Rohl. All parties eager to wrap things up, but other clubs also interested. He’s no longer training.”

With the Japanese season starting and ending at different times of the year to the norm in European football, Hatsuse’s contract will expire on January 31st, just 72 hours before the closure of the January transfer window.

Hatsuse may not be a household name, but the fact that Rohl likes him immediately suggests that he could be a good option for Wednesday, seemingly doing enough to convince him in training in a short space of time.

The 27-year-old is a former Japan Under-21 international, winning 12 caps

at that level, and he has also represented his country at Under-20 and Under-19 level, highlighting his pedigree during his younger days.

With Marvin Johnson now well into his 30s, Rohl could see Hatsuse as a longer-term option at left-back or left wing-back, providing more competition for Max Lowe in the process.

The fact that his contract expires within the window is an added bonus for Wednesday, allowing them to sign him on a free transfer and also allowing a short window to go for other signings if this one falls through.