Sheffield Wednesday should join Plymouth Argyle in transfer race after Southampton blow | OneFootball

Wycombe Wanderers defender Joe Low should be on Sheffield Wednesday's transfer radar in January.

It has been a strong first half of the season for Sheffield Wednesday in the Championship, but they will be hoping to strengthen their squad in the January transfer window.

After narrowly avoiding relegation last season, Wednesday have made clear progress this campaign under Danny Rohl, and they have emerged as surprise play-off contenders in recent weeks.

The Owls were held to a 2-2 draw by Millwall at Hillsborough on Saturday, but that does not detract from what was a positive festive period for Rohl's men, and they currently sit 10th in the Championship table, three points from the top six.

With a two-week break from Championship action due to the FA Cup, Rohl will be hoping that he can use the time productively to bolster his squad, but the German has hinted at a breakdown in communication between himself and owner Dejphon Chansiri.

Despite Rohl's somewhat cryptic public comments, it does appear that Wednesday are working on potential deals, but their January window got off to a frustrating start as they missed out on one of their top targets.

Sheffield Wednesday will be disappointed by Ronnie Edwards transfer miss

Wednesday have conceded an alarming 40 league goals already this season, with only Portsmouth, Luton Town and Plymouth Argyle conceding more, so it is easy to see why Rohl is keen to bolster his defensive options in January.

The Star claimed last month that the Owls had enquired about the possibility of signing Southampton defender Ronnie Edwards on loan, and given that he was a name on the wish list of many supporters, the rumour was greeted with plenty of excitement.

However, any hope of securing a deal for Edwards ended within hours of the transfer window opening as he made a loan move to Queens Park Rangers on New Year's Day, meaning that Wednesday have been forced to look elsewhere.

It has been reported that Ipswich Town defender Harry Clarke, who has made seven appearances for the Tractor Boys in the Premier League this season, is the latest name to emerge on the Owls' radar.

Clarke won promotion from the Championship with Kieran McKenna's side last season, so he would undoubtedly be a strong signing for Wednesday if they can get a deal over the line, but it is unclear at this point whether he will be allowed to depart Portman Road on loan, so they must have alternatives in mind.

Sheffield Wednesday should enter Championship battle for Joe Low

Now Edwards is off the table, Clarke must be Wednesday's priority defensive signing this month, but another name they should have in mind is Wycombe Wanderers defender Joe Low.

Low joined the Chairboys from Bristol City in the summer of 2023, and he has enjoyed an outstanding 18-month spell at Adams Park, which has resulted in him catching the eye of a number of Championship clubs.

The 22-year-old has played a crucial role in Wycombe's promotion push in League One this season, helping them go 19 games unbeaten between August and December and contributing to 10 clean sheets in 28 appearances in all competitions.

As well as his defensive solidity, Low has also proven to be a goal threat at the other end of the pitch, with the defender getting on the scoresheet on four occasions already this season.

Chairboys manager Matt Bloomfield recently admitted that Low is "destined to go onto better things", and the two-cap Wales international could soon have the opportunity to make the step up to the Championship, with Plymouth, Preston North End and Swansea City all believed to be interested.

The Owls would face strong competition for Low's signature, but as they are currently higher in the table than all of his reported suitors, they would surely have a good chance of winning the race, and his £750,000 valuation should not be out of their price range.

Low may not be at quite the same level as Edwards just yet, but he is evidently a player with huge potential, and given Rohl's track record of developing young players, he could be an incredibly shrewd addition for Wednesday.