Sheffield Wednesday must ease Ian Poveda disappointment with nine-goal ace: View | OneFootball

Sheffield Wednesday must win the race for Brest winger Karamoko Dembele after missing out on Ian Poveda to Sunderland.

It has been a busy start to the summer for Sheffield Wednesday after they secured survival in the Championship.

The Owls looked destined to make an immediate return to League One after a disastrous start to last season under Xisco Munoz, but they achieved safety following a remarkable turnaround under Danny Rohl as they finished 20th in the table.

Wednesday received a huge boost as Rohl signed a new long-term contract in May, and the German has wasted no time in getting to work on rebuilding his squad.

The Owls have brought in nine new signings so far this summer, with James Beadle, Ben Hamer, Max Lowe, Yan Valery, Svante Ingelsson, Nathaniel Chalobah, Olaf Kobacki, Jamal Lowe and Charlie McNeill arriving at Hillsborough.

Liam Palmer, Dominic Iorfa, Di'Shon Bernard, Barry Bannan and Josh Windass have all signed new contracts, but Cameron Dawson and Will Vaulks have departed after rejecting the offer of an extension, while Ciaran Brennan, Reece James, George Byers, Tyreeq Bakinson, Juan Delgado and Lee Gregory have been released.

Wednesday supporters will be delighted by their summer transfer business so far, but they will be hugely disappointed by the fact the club have been unable to bring back one of last season's influential loanees, Ian Poveda, who completed a move to Sunderland this week.

Ian Poveda explains decision to join Sunderland ahead of Sheffield Wednesday

Poveda revealed that Sunderland's head of recruitment Stuart Harvey, sporting director Kristjaan Speakman, head of coaching Stuart English and head coach Regis Le Bris played a key role in his move to the Stadium of Light, as well as the club's passionate support.

"The move came through Stuart Harvey, head of recruitment, and I just feel like the love behind the club, through Kristjaan [Speakman] and Stuart himself, the manager," Poveda told the club's official YouTube channel.

"I've also known Stuart English from a really young age - when I was about 15 - I feel like I have the right people supporting me and just wanting the best for me.

"The love that I had, especially from Stuart Harvey, that is just something I can't really describe. All I want to do is get on the pitch and play for Sunderland. The stadium, the fans, I've played here a couple of times - I've seen how full it gets and how the fans get behind the team.

"I feel good and I just want to help the club restore its glory. I don't feel like we should be in the Championship and I fully believe the project. So here I am."

Wednesday were said to be keen to bring Poveda back to the club this summer after his release by Leeds United, while he was also linked with Cardiff City, Luton Town and West Bromwich Albion, and he did reference the Owls in his first interview as a Black Cats player, revealing that he enjoyed his time at Hillsborough.

"Especially the last six months at Sheffield Wednesday and what I did over there to help them and the help they gave me as well. I really enjoyed my time over there and I have nothing but good things to say about the club – about the fans and the manager there. I'm really happy with how things went there," Poveda said, quoted by The Star.

Missing out on Ian Poveda may be a blessing in disguise for Sheffield Wednesday

Poveda became a firm fan favourite after joining Wednesday on loan in January, and many Owls supporters are gutted that he will not be returning to the club.

The 24-year-old made an immediate impact at Hillsborough, providing the pace and creativity that had been missing for much of the season, and there is no doubt that he played a big role in keeping Rohl's men in the division.

However, despite his impressive performances, Poveda registered just one assist in 10 appearances for Wednesday, and he missed much of the final two months of the campaign with injury.

In truth, Poveda has struggled to deliver consistently throughout his career, underlined by the fact he failed to establish himself at Leeds, and he experienced mixed fortunes during his loan spells with Blackburn Rovers and Blackpool.

There were some doubts over whether Poveda would be able to replicate the form he showed in the early stages of his time with the Owls had he joined on a full-time basis, and with Sunderland signing the winger on a three-year deal with the option of a further year, it is possible Rohl may have had reservations over giving him such a long-term contract.

Karamoko Dembele could be the perfect Ian Poveda upgrade for Sheffield Wednesday

Poveda was not the only winger on Wednesday's radar, and they are believed to be interested in Brest's Karamoko Dembele and Rangers' Scott Wright.

The Owls have reportedly made an approach for Dembele, and it has been claimed that they are in pole position to beat Preston North End and Derby County to Wright, but it is the prospect of signing the former that will excite supporters the most.

Dembele spent last season on loan at League One side Blackpool, and he enjoyed an outstanding campaign as Neil Critchley's side just missed out on the play-offs.

In addition to Dembele's eight goals and 13 assists in the league, he also scored one goal and provided one assist in the FA Cup, and he was voted as the Seasiders' Player of the Season by both his team-mates and supporters.

Of course, it remains to be seen whether Dembele would be able to make the step up to the Championship, but he certainly looks capable of performing at a higher level, and given the way Rohl has improved young players during his time at Hillsborough, he would likely develop further under the German's guidance.

Wednesday face strong competition for Dembele's signature, with Portsmouth, Derby and Bolton Wanderers also said to be interested, but they would surely be the most attractive option for the winger, particularly with many tipping them for a potential play-off push next season.

Dembele would be an excellent signing for the Owls, and if they are able to win the race for him, the disappointment of missing out on Poveda will quickly be forgotten.