Sheffield Wednesday told to complete transfer deal for "forward-thinking" Tottenham midfielder | OneFootball

FLW's Owls' fan pundit thinks Alfie Devine would be a solid addition to Danny Rohl's midfield amid loan links

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Sheffield Wednesday have been told to pursue the loan signing of Tottenham Hotspur youngster Alfie Devine, amid reports linking him with a move to Hillsborough.

Devine has been out on loan at then-League One Port Vale and Championship side Plymouth Argyle during the 2023-24 season, and is now looking for another temporary move this summer, with a breakthrough into Ange Postecoglu's first-team seeming unlikely this year.

Local outlet the Sheffield Star has recently reported that the 20-year-old is a target to bolster Danny Rohl's midfield ranks, but Wednesday are still in the process of trying to find more space in their squad by offloading players - both permanent and on loan.

Transfer journalist Alan Nixon claimed this past weekend that the Owls are looking into a move for Devine, amid claims that Danish outfit Brondby have made a £3 million offer for another of Danny Rohl's transfer targets - Bayer Leverkusen's Gustavo Puerta.

Sheffield Wednesday told to make their move for Alfie Devine

Devine is an attacking midfielder by trade and has previously impressed in his respective spells in the EFL, but is still relatively inexperienced in senior football despite becoming the youngest player to have played for Tottenham at 16 years and 163 days in January 2021, when he came on in the FA Cup third round against non-league side Marine.

He would be a solid addition for any Championship side looking for more creative depth in 2024/25, and FLW's Owls fan pundit Callum Maxted believes that someone of his profile is what needs to be added to Rohl's squad at this moment in time.

“From the highlights, he looks like a player who is positive and forward-thinking," Maxted told Football League World.

“At that age and the midfield we’ve got now, I think those are the type of players we should be looking at really.

“(We need) someone who is going to get the ball forward quickly and maybe help to win it back as well, I think that is important for the next midfielder that we get.

“If we have a look at him and we see that there is potential there, that would be something that we could look at.

“I’d be happy if we signed someone of his calibre. Port Vale fans loved him, and I’ve seen some Plymouth fans say that he was quite a good player for them as well.

“That’s important, for me, to see the level that we are at in signing those young players, and Premier League clubs trusting us to develop talent.”

Alfie Devine would be a coup for Danny Rohl and Sheffield Wednesday

Devine may be a natural attacking midfielder, but he has previously played on the left-wing and in a deeper, box-to-box role while at Vale and Argyle.

He would likely rotate between being advanced and playing slightly deeper if he joined Wednesday this month, with boss Rohl's current options in the middle of the park looking threadbare, despite the new season already being underway.

Rohl has opted to start Josh Windass in attacking midfield for the two opening league games of the season against Plymouth and Sunderland, and he has had contrasting fortunes in each match after netting in their 4-0 opening day rout of Argyle, but then accidentally losing possession to allow Eliezer Mayenda to bag Sunderland's second goal, and then playing Luke O'Nien onside for their third in a 4-0 loss.

Windass is a solid second tier player, but it seems increasingly unlikely that he can be depended on week-in, week-out, especially given his fitness record.

And with no natural back-up in his position in the current squad, Devine would be an ideal signing to add some flair and variety to their team.

He would also be a good option to have in a less advanced role alongside the likes of Barry Bannan or new signing Svante Ingelsson, with Nathaniel Chalobah currently out injured and Sean Fusire still largely untested at senior level.

It remains unclear if Devine will become an Owls' player in the coming weeks, but it looks like a deal has the potential to happen and it seems to be a good fit for all parties.