Karamoko Dembele features: 2 transfer regrets Sheffield Wednesday should have following summer window | OneFootball

We looked at two players that Sheffield Wednesday may regret missing out on in the summer transfer window.

It has been a disappointing start to the season for Sheffield Wednesday in the Championship.

After narrowly securing survival last term following a remarkable turnaround under Danny Rohl, there was plenty of hope among Owls supporters that the club could climb the table this season.

Rohl signed a new long-term contract at Hillsborough in May, and the positive feeling around the club increased even further after a strong summer transfer window that saw the arrival of 11 new signings.

However, after an emphatic 4-0 home win over Plymouth Argyle on the opening weekend, it has been a tough few weeks for Wednesday, and they suffered their third consecutive defeat as they were beaten 3-0 by Millwall at The Den on Saturday, with second half goals from Josh Coburn, Duncan Watmore and Jake Cooper sealing all three points for the Lions.

The Owls have now conceded nine goals in their last three league games, failing to get on the scoresheet themselves during that time, and they head into the international break sitting 20th in the table.

Wednesday's summer transfer window was largely considered to have been a success before the start of the season, but their struggles in the early weeks of the campaign have highlighted problems in the squad, and we looked at two players that the club may regret missing out on.

Karamoko Dembele

Wednesday were said to be keen to sign Brest winger Karamoko Dembele on loan this summer, but he instead made a loan move to their Championship rivals Queens Park Rangers.

Dembele enjoyed an excellent loan spell at Blackpool in League One last season, during which he scored nine goals and provided 14 assists in 47 games, and his form at Bloomfield Road attracted the attention of a number of clubs, including the Owls, Derby County, Portsmouth and Bolton Wanderers, but the R's won the race for his signature.

Many Wednesday supporters were hugely disappointed to miss out on the signing of Dembele, and that frustration will only have increased after seeing the impact he has made for the Hoops so far this season, with the 21-year-old providing two assists in his first four appearances.

Dembele's total of two assists is more than all of Wednesday's wingers, Anthony Musaba, Djeidi Gassama and Olaf Kobacki, have registered combined this season, underlining just how much of a difference he could have made at Hillsborough.

As the Owls' creative struggles continue, they will no doubt rue the fact they were unable to complete a deal for Dembele, and he could cause them plenty of problems when he lines up against them in an R's shirt after the international break.

Tom Cannon

With Wednesday failing to score in their last three league games, the need for a clinical striker is still evident.

The Owls did sign three new strikers this summer in Jamal Lowe, Charlie McNeill and Ike Ugbo, but the trio have found it tough so far this season, while Michael Smith has been limited to mainly substitute appearances.

One striker Wednesday were linked with over the summer was Leicester City's Tom Cannon, and it was the third time he had emerged on their radar having first targeted him in January 2023 before reigniting their last summer following promotion to the Championship.

A host of clubs were said to be chasing Cannon's signature this summer along with the Owls, including Sheffield United, Sunderland, Hull City, West Brom, Middlesbrough, Norwich City and Oxford United, but he eventually completed a deadline day loan move to Stoke City.

It always seemed unlikely that Wednesday would be able to bring Cannon to Hillsborough given their financial limitations, and the fact they were competing against a number of the likely promotion candidates, but they may be disappointed to see him join the Potters, who finished just three places above them last season.

Cannon struggled for game time at Leicester last term, but he has proven he can be a threat at Championship level previously, scoring eight goals in 21 games during a loan spell at Preston North End in the 2022-23 season, and he could have been the perfect solution to the Owls' goalscoring problems.