Sheffield Wednesday spurning Ipswich Town’s January advances could prove to be their best business: View | OneFootball

Sheffield Wednesday will look back on the January transfer window with pride when it comes to Marvin Johnson.

The Owls have been in a relegation scrap all season, but since the arrival of Danny Rohl as their new manager, things have started to look up for the club.

Wednesday have gone from no Championship wins under Xisco Munoz to nine victories under Rohl, which has moved them to within just three points from safety.

One player who has been a key part of the upturn in results and performances has been Johnson, a player who was unwanted under Munoz.

Despite him returning to the starting XI under Rohl, the January transfer window saw the player come under transfer speculation as his form caught the eye of Ipswich Town.

Ipswich Town wanted Marvin Johnson in January

It was reported during the January transfer window that promotion chasers Town were keen to sign Johnson from Sheffield Wednesday.

In fact, it was said that the two clubs were in talks about a possible deal for the 33-year-old, as the Tractor Boys wanted to provide competition for current left-back Leif Davis.

It was claimed by talkSPORT journalist Alex Crook that talks got as far as Ipswich offering £1 million to bring Johnson from Hillsborough to Portman Road.

However, Wednesday rejected that offer as they wanted to secure a bigger fee for a player who had become an important part of the team once again.

It is unclear how long the contract Johnson signed last summer is but the Yorkshire side were keen to stand their ground, and that is what they did as he remained at Hillsborough beyond the deadline.

Sheffield Wednesday rejecting Ipswich’s interest in Marvin Johnson could be their best business

Johnson and the Wednesday fans would have found it hard to believe how important the 33-year-old was going to become for the club this season, given how the campaign started.

He was frozen out under the former manager, which meant he hardly played any football but since Rohl’s arrival in October, the former Middlesbrough man has become a vital part of the team - proving key in their recent results and performances.

Johnson’s first appearance of the season came in the 1-0 defeat to Bristol City in November, and since then, the defender has started 15 of the 19 Championship games he has been available for. In fact, the 33-year-old has started 12 of the last 13 league games, with the only exception being the recent defeat to Huddersfield Town.

He's been crucial going forward, outperforming his expected goals and expected assists to contribute to seven goals this term, but as the stats prove, he's put a shift in defensively as well.

His return to prominence has been one of the stories of the season at Hillsborough. He's proven his former manager wrong and repaid the faith that his new boss has shown in him. Indeed, if Rohl is to lead the Owls clear of the drop then you feel Johnson will have played a key part.

Wednesday did some good business in January, with the signing of Ike Ugbo certainly notable, but there is a strong argument to make that keeping the Ipswich target was the best thing they did.