Pundit urges Sheffield Wednesday to beat West Brom, Burnley in transfer race for 53-cap international | OneFootball

Carlton Palmer spoke exclusively to Football League World about Sheffield Wednesday's interest in ex-Southampton starlet Stuart Armstrong

Pundit and former Sheffield Wednesday star Carlton Palmer has encouraged Danny Rohl's side to complete a late deal for Vancouvers Whitecaps' Stuart Armstrong, with the midfielder of interest to the Owls along with other second-tier suitors.

In terms of transfer dealings, it has been a quiet month at Hillsborough with no fresh faces yet to arrive through the door ahead of next Monday's deadline. Rohl, however, will hope that changes as he seeks reinforcements to bolster Wednesday's shock play-off bid, with the Owls currently in 10th position and just three points behind sixth-placed Middlesbrough.

The German boss is seemingly intent on enforcing the midfield engine room through a reunion with ex-Southampton midfielder Armstrong, who is of interest ahead of a potential return to English football following his exit from the Saints last year.

Sheffield Wednesday's Stuart Armstrong transfer interest

The Owls' interest was first called by The Sun's Alan Nixon over the weekend. But, as exclusively revealed by Football League World on Tuesday afternoon, both the Owls and fellow play-off rivals West Bromwich Albion are pushing hardest to complete a move for Armstrong, who also has interest from Burnley.

As per a recent Patreon report from Nixon, Rohl wanted to reunite with Armstrong during the summer, having formerly worked with the midfielder while on Southampton's coaching staff, and has now rekindled his interest after missing out on a move.

The 32-year-old is currently under contract with MLS outfit Vancouver Whitecaps, whom he joined back in September after spending the summer as a free agent following his release from Southampton at the end of the previous campaign.

Armstrong, who is a Designated Player in the MLS, made 11 appearances for the Canadian side before the closure of the league season in November, and is perhaps best known for his time with both Celtic and Southampton.

The veteran midfielder, who has also earned 53 caps for Scotland, made more than 200 appearances for the Saints across a six-year stay and scored five goals while adding another seven assists as they gained promotion via the play-offs last May.

Armstrong possesses proven class and experience at the highest level and also knows what it takes to get out of the Championship, meaning on paper, he would likely be a much-welcomed addition to a Wednesday side in contention for a top-six finish.

Palmer thinks so too, and described how he believes Armstrong would be an "exciting signing" for the Owls.

"Sheffield Wednesday had a magnificent result away at QPR on the weekend against one of the in-form teams in the Championship, they're now three points off a play-off place which is unbelievable given the fact they just stayed up last season," Palmer exclusively told FLW.

"Danny Rohl is ambitious and wants to kick on, so he is hoping to get a player or two through the door to help them try and secure a play-off place this season. One player is Stuart Armstrong, who he previously worked with at Southampton and is now plying his trade for Vancouver Whitecaps.

"The midfielder is under contract for another year but could make a move in the final week of the transfer window. He was very much an integral part of Southampton's promotion-winning campaign last season so he knows the Championship well.

"With Shea Charles working again under Rohl, this could be a good fit for Wednesday. It would be an exciting signing for the club, we will have to wait and see whether Whitecaps would let him go.

"It would be a good bit of business and working under Rohl [could help] and he'll obviously have a word with Charles about the manager, and that would be a fantastic signing for the club.

"Obviously there is going to be competition in the middle of the park but he can play as a number 10 so it might be good business, especially with the speculation with Josh Windass - his contract is up at the end of the season and he could sign a pre-contract agreement elsewhere or could be sold this window, which would be catastrophic for the Owls."