Sheffield Wednesday has had a busy start to the transfer window following their survival in the Championship.
The Owls secured their safety last season with a remarkable turnaround under Danny Rohl, who signed a new long-term contract in May. Rohl has been proactive in rebuilding the squad, bringing in eight new players this summer: James Beadle, Ben Hamer, Max Lowe, Yan Valery, Svante Ingelsson, Olaf Kobacki, Jamal Lowe, and Charlie McNeill.
Meanwhile, Liam Palmer, Dominic Iorfa, Barry Bannan, and Josh Windass have all signed new contracts. However, Cameron Dawson and Will Vaulks have left after rejecting contract extensions, and Ciaran Brennan, Reece James, George Byers, Tyreeq Bakinson, Juan Delgado, and Lee Gregory have been released.
George Byers’ Sheffield Wednesday exit
Many of those who left Hillsborough this summer were valued contributors to the club, but midfielder George Byers’ departure is particularly disappointing for Sheffield Wednesday supporters.
Byers became a fan favorite after joining from Swansea City in the summer of 2021 and played a crucial role in their promotion from League One in the 2022-23 season. However, he fell out of favor in the Championship and spent the second half of last season on loan at Blackpool. As a result, he was not offered a new deal by Wednesday this summer.
Byers surely attracted significant interest from League One clubs following his release, but many Owls supporters were shocked this week when he decided to join League Two side Port Vale. There, he will reunite with his former Wednesday manager, Darren Moore.
Port Vale switch a huge surprise for Sheffield Wednesday supporters
According to The Star, Blackpool were keen to re-sign Byers this summer after his strong loan spell at Bloomfield Road. Birmingham City, Huddersfield Town, Rotherham United, Barnsley, Bolton Wanderers, and Oxford United were also reportedly monitoring him.
Many of these clubs are expected to be promotion contenders in League One next season, and Oxford could have potentially offered Byers another chance in the Championship. Therefore, it is a significant surprise to see him drop down to League Two with Port Vale.
Given Byers’ crucial role in Sheffield Wednesday’s promotion, many fans hoped he would thrive in the Championship. While that didn’t materialize, his performance at Blackpool demonstrated his quality in League One. Byers is arguably too talented for League Two, and the widespread surprise at his move to Vale Park highlights the significant achievement for the Valiants in securing his services.
Moore was the manager of Sheffield Wednesday when Byers joined the club, and the midfielder experienced the best period of his career under Moore’s guidance. In that context, it’s understandable why he would want to reunite with his former manager.
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