"Always a gamble" - Carlton Palmer reacts to recent Sheffield Wednesday transfer update | OneFootball

Carlton Palmer speaks exclusively to Football League World about Wednesday's new signing Ryo Hatsuse.

Pundit and former England international Carlton Palmer has given his verdict on Sheffield Wednesday’s latest addition of Japanese defender Ryo Hatsuse, and although he believes there are positive signs, he thinks it could also be a gamble.

Hatsuse officially joined the Owls on Thursday, becoming their third signing of the winter period.

Hatsuse is a full-back who is capable of playing on either side of the defence. He joins the Owls having been released at the end of 2024 by Japanese side Vissel Kobe, after 196 appearances for the club.

The 27-year-old’s move to Hillsborough represents his first move away from his homeland, having spent the vast majority of his career so far plying his trade in the J League (Japan’s top flight).

Last season, he ended the J League campaign with an impressive seven assists from just 35 games. He posted similarly strong figures in the 2023 campaign, with one goal and eight assists.

Since Hatsuse was a free agent, Wednesday have been able to secure his signature outside the transfer window. However, with the window now shut until the summer, he will surely be the last addition to Danny Röhl’s squad for their bid to reach the Championship play-offs.

Carlton Palmer’s verdict on Sheffield Wednesday’s latest signing

Although Palmer expressed concerns over Hatsuse’s lack of experience in English football, he was keen to stress that Röhl has proven himself to have a fantastic eye for a player.

Speaking exclusively to Football League World, the former Wednesday and Leeds man said: “Hatsuse was a free agent following the expiry of his contract with J League outfit Vissel Kobe.

“The 27-year-old has been training at Middlewood during the window and has done enough to work his way to a deal. He’s predominantly a left-back, but he can easily adapt with his left or right foot and Danny Röhl believes him to be a useful addition to the side defensively.

“I think it was one of those opportunities to bring a player in on a free, we’ll have to see how the player will adapt to the Championship. Listening to Danny Röhl, he seems very excited about the signing. He said he has good skill on both feet and is very aggressive in one-on-one duels, as well as being a very dangerous crosser of the ball.

“I think he (Röhl) sees that he could be a very good addition for the system he plays. It’s always a gamble, you’re taking a player who has never played in the Championship before at this stage of the season.

“Danny Röhl has proven himself to be very astute with the players he’s brought to the club, so you trust the manager and we’ll see how this unfolds.”

Wednesday are extremely well placed for a play-off push

Hatsuse arrives at Hillsborough as the Owls' third mid-season addition of the campaign, after former Southampton midfielder Stuart Armstrong and Toulouse winger Ibrahim Cissoko also penned deals during the January transfer window.

Keeping hold of Saints loanee Shea Charles is also a vitally important piece of business.

With Röhl’s squad now in place for the Championship run-in, Wednesday will surely feel handily placed to make a strong push for the play-offs.

They currently sit in 10th place, but are just two points behind West Brom, who currently occupy the final play-off spot.

Röhl’s men travel to The Hawthorns to take on Tony Mowbray’s side in the early kick-off on Saturday, in a game which promises to be an entertaining encounter.

Wednesday are currently on a run of just two defeats from their last 10 games in the league and have undergone a total transformation from the side that retained their Championship status by the skin of their teeth last term.

A first second tier play-off berth since 2017 could be on the horizon, but if the Owls are to finish inside the top six at the season’s close, it is imperative they address their defensive issues.

Röhl’s men have already conceded 46 league goals this season, more than anyone else in the Championship’s top half.

Fail to address that, and they could find themselves looking back over the campaign and wondering what could have been. However, tighten up a little, and an unexpected shot at the Premier League could beckon for Röhl and his men.