Going into the International break off the back of two defeats to high-flying Leeds United and Ipswich Town – with the 6-0 loss at Portman Road obviously stinging more – Danny Rohl will now hope his Sheffield Wednesday players are re-energised and refocused for the task of attempting to stay up in the Championship once more.
There'll be some obvious pride from an Owls perspective at the number of players who played for their countries over the time off too, including hot prospect Bailey Cadamarteri who scored for the England U19s.
Rohl and Co will be delighted at the constant progression they're seeing from the teenage striker, who has four goals in the senior fold this season for the relegation-threatened Owls also.
The success story of Cadamarteri could well impact Wednesday's transfer business therefore, with the South Yorkshire giants taking a shining to his young trialist who could be signed permanently down the line.
Sheffield Wednesday transfer news
According to a report from Sheffield Star journalist Joe Crann late last week, the Owls are very much keen on 19-year-old trialist James Collins who had been making a splash in the youth circles at Watford before being taken on at Hillsborough.
Only joining the youth set-up at the Hornets last year from non-league Hertford Town, a move for the highly regarded striker could see Wednesday sign yet another young and fresh centre-forward in the mould of Cadamarteri.
Scoring goals regularly for Watford at both U18 and U21 level – with his last flurry of goals coming against Ipswich Town just this month – Collins was even gifted a spot on the Hertfordshire side's bench against Stoke City earlier this campaign when Valerien Ismael was still present in the Vicarage Road hot-seat.
With Lee Gregory's contract expiring this summer, and the Owls man being 35 years of age, it could well be a case of out with the old and in with the new if Collins impresses enough to be rewarded with a permanent deal at Hillsborough.
James Collins could be Lee Gregory's replacement
Gregory has barely featured under Rohl since the German manager took over the reins last October, making just one brief appearance to date under the current Wednesday boss against Cardiff City in December.
Therefore, with this development emerging that a new kid could soon be on the block in a permanent deal, this could give Rohl grounds to get rid of the former Millwall man for good after failing to ever really utilise him since coming into the Owls.
1. Will Vaulks
30
June 2024
2. Josh Windass
30
June 2024
3. Barry Bannan
34
June 2024
4. Liam Palmer
32
June 2024
5. Lee Gregory
35
June 2024
Gregory won't be the only ageing member of the Wednesday squad who will be fearing for their future in South Yorkshire, with the likes of Will Vaulks and Liam Palmer's contracts also up for discussion at the conclusion of the campaign.
Wednesday could well view the breakout success of Cadamarteri as the starting point that leads to a new direction at the club, helped further by young trialist Collins potentially going on to have a far more important role in the Owls team soon if he is kept around past his trial period at the expense of Watford.
