Sheff Wed defender Valery in Tunisia squad for Afconpublished at 17:19 GMT 11 December
17:19 GMT 11 December
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Image caption,
Yan Valery is in his second season with Sheffield Wednesday
Sheffield Wednesday defender Yan Valery has been included in Tunisia's squad for the African Cup of Nations which starts in Morocco later this month.
The 26-year-old has made 16 appearances for Tunisia since being first called into the senior squad in September 2022.
Tunisia, who lifted the Afcon title for the only time in 2004, open their campaign against Uganda on December 23 before finishing the group stage against Nigeria on December 27 and Tanzania on December 30.
Valery could also feature in next year's World Cup with Tunisia having qualified for the seventh time.
Pedersen 'proud' of Owls despite Watford drawpublished at 23:12 GMT 9 December
23:12 GMT 9 December
Media caption,
Pedersen: 'We are all disappointed'
He may have seen his side's run of league games without a win extended to 13, but Henrik Pedersen was still proud of his Sheffield Wednesday side despite seeing them concede a late equaliser away at Watford.
The Owls boss told BBC Radio Sheffield: "The boys played with belief, togetherness and discipline, it made me proud. They wanted to support each other, and that was fantastic.
"I am very proud of my players tonight, they gave everything. On the other side we are disappointed because when it is so close and we couldn't finish it off, we invested so much, so it is mixed feelings.
"We have to turn it around. We can compete on a high level, and that is a positive. We see so many players growing and growing. We have to learn to see out games but we can be proud of a lot of good things tonight.
"The fans were great today, it was another good away game. Everyone is working so hard, the players, the staff. We are close, we just have to keep on going, we are going in the right direction."
Amass' uncertain futurepublished at 16:23 GMT 9 December
16:23 GMT 9 December
Simon Stone Chief football news reporter
Image source, Getty Images
Manchester United defender Harry Amass is in demand next month.
Amass has had an outstanding spell at Sheffield Wednesday during the first-half of the season.
The 18-year-old has excelled in the left wing-back role under manager Henrik Pedersen, and has been an ever-present since coming to the club at the end of the transfer window.
Wednesday would like to keep Amass but are aware there are a number of options available for the former Watford schoolboy, including alternative loans and a permanent sale.
Manchester United are yet to reach a final decision over a player whose contract does not expire until 2027.
The situation is complicated as the player he left United to accommodate, Paraguay international Diego Leon, is also the subject of loan interest, having failed to make the first team bench since the victory over Sunderland on 4 October.
Leon is yet to make his senior debut for United even though he won his first full cap in October.
Amass made seven appearances for United last season, making four starts in the Premier League.
Pick of the stats: Watford v Sheffield Wednesdaypublished at 14:34 GMT 8 December
14:34 GMT 8 December
Image source, Opta
Watford will seek to improve the Championship's second best home record when they welcome basement-boys Sheffield Wednesday on Tuesday (19:45 GMT).
The Hornets made it 18 points claimed from losing positions as they came from behind to beat Norwich at Vicarage Road on Saturday to go 13th, just three points below the top-six.
They have won 21 points from 10 home games, second only to leaders Coventry (23).
Rock-bottom Wednesday are effectively 29 points adrift of safety and have lost four straight and 12 of 18 overall, while their game at Blackburn on Saturday was abandoned due to a waterlogged pitch at Ewood Park just before the hour.
The Owls' only win of the campaign did however come on the road at Portsmouth in September.
Watford are unbeaten in their past nine league games against Sheffield Wednesday (W5 D4), since a 1-0 home loss in December 2013.
Sheffield Wednesday have won just one of their past 12 away league games against Watford (D3 L8), beating them 1-0 in December 2013 thanks to a Connor Wickham strike.
Watford have won exactly half of their 48 league games against Sheffield Wednesday (W24 D11 L13). Among sides they've faced at least 40 times in the Football League, only against Bristol Rovers do they have a higher win rate (54% - 45/84).
Watford lost six of their 10 midweek (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) Championship games from the start of last season until February (W2 D2), but are since unbeaten in six (W3 D3).
Sheffield Wednesday have lost just one of their past eight midweek (Tues, Weds, Thurs) away league games (W3 D4), though it was two weeks ago against Millwall (0-1).
Why two might be better than one for Wednesdaypublished at 13:29 GMT 6 December
13:29 GMT 6 December
Rob Staton BBC Radio Sheffield reporter
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Image caption,
Sheffield Wednesday were deducted a further six points this week and are now bottom of the Championship table on minus 10
Amid reports of two interested parties potentially merging to try and buy Sheffield Wednesday, it begs the question — why would that be necessary?
If the two groups, reportedly billionaire John McEvoy and members of the Storch family, have the financial clout typically required to buy a club of Wednesday's size, why would they need to come together?
The answer is probably down to the sheer amount of investment needed to get the Owls to a place, on and off the pitch, where ambitious owners would want to be.
The infrastructure work required alone is substantial. A fortune will need to be spent on Hillsborough and the training ground to match the facilities enjoyed by Championship peers.
If you want a speculative figure, you could be looking at more than £100m to get it right.
Although big money is available through TV rights in the Premier League, the reality of life outside of the top-flight is you're going to be a loss-making business.
Any prospective owner of Wednesday is not buying a club that is on the doorstep of the top-flight, that could take seasons. Therefore, they'll be looking at a hefty loss each year. Possibly around £10m a season.
Investment in the squad would be necessary over a period of time. Then, even if you get to the Premier League, a distant dream for any buyer at the moment, you'd need to spend huge sums even with the TV money coming in.
A major financial burden is required to drive this club forwards, in a way that might not be necessary at others with better infrastructure.
Wednesday, 27 points adrift of safety, are also inevitably going to be in League One next season - with limited playing assets given what's happened to the squad over the past six months.
Wealthy owners merging together would be a way to pool resources to tackle these challenges.
It's worth noting that the 'one owner who buys the club' model isn't as common as some might think. Birmingham City and Ipswich Town are good examples of clubs with multiple investors.
Even at the highest level, Jim Ratcliffe bought a stake in Manchester United and runs the football operations at Old Trafford, yet the Glazer family remain majority owners. And Chelsea are owned by a consortium led by a a private equity firm.
It should be noted this potential merger would result in just one interested group.
Charles and Lowe could returnpublished at 13:03 GMT 5 December
13:03 GMT 5 December
Media caption,
Pedersen: 'There is big belief and big hope'
Sheffield Wednesday goalkeeper Pierce Charles could return against Blackburn on Saturday (15:00 GMT).
Boss Henrik Pedersen confirmed on Thursday that Charles could be back within "maybe 48 hours, 24 hours".
The Northern Ireland international has been out with a shoulder injury but did play a full 90 minutes for an Owls XI in the Sheffield and Hallamshire Senior Cup on Wednesday.
"I'm really pleased with what he did [on Wednesday]," Pedersen told BBC Radio Sheffield.
"I'm looking forward to when Pierce is back in the team. He has so much to give, with his personality and also as a goalkeeper."
Defender Max Lowe might also make the squad after missing the loss to Preston North End last time out.
Nathaniel Chalobah returned to training this week, while midfielder George Brown is due to return to training "not next week but the week after," according to Pedersen.
Pedersen also confirmed that the Owls and Manchester United have been discussing left-back Harry Amass' future ahead of the January transfer window. Amass is on loan from the Premier League club.
Pick of the stats: Blackburn Rovers v Sheffield Wednesdaypublished at 10:13 GMT 5 December
10:13 GMT 5 December
Blackburn Rovers will look to let their frustrations from their 1-1 draw to Ipswich Town on Tuesday go as they host basement dwellers Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday (15:00 GMT).
Rovers boss Valerien Ismael was vocal about his disappointment in refereeing decisions that did not go their way during their controversial replay against the Tractor Boys that saw them succumb to a third successive winless game.
But now they face a side who have been on a much longer run without a win (12) and so deep into the relegation battle the hope of getting out is sparse - but with nothing left to lose, could the Owls be up for causing more turmoil at Ewood Park?
Blackburn have won just one of their last six league games against Sheffield Wednesday (D2 L3), beating them 1-0 at Hillsborough in December 2024.
Sheffield Wednesday have lost just two of their last nine away league games against Blackburn (W3 D4), with those defeats coming consecutively in December 2018 and November 2019.
Sheffield Wednesday have lost each of their last four league games, their second such run already this season. They last lost more consecutively in February/March 2021 (7).
Sheffield Wednesday are winless in their last 12 league games (D4 L8), last having a longer run between August and October 2023 (13).
Barry Bannan either scored or assisted a goal in each of his first four league games for Sheffield Wednesday against Blackburn (1 goal, 4 assists). However, since then he's failed to score or assist in six games against Rovers.
'Good news for Owls fans and future owners'published at 09:28 GMT 2 December
09:28 GMT 2 December
Rob Staton BBC Radio Sheffield
Image source, Getty Images
Sheffield Wednesday fans hoping for greater clarity on their situation got it on Monday - and it's good news.
We now know, per an EFL statement, that Sheffield Wednesday will be deducted a further six points this season for multiple breaches of regulations. It's also been confirmed the EFL are not seeking any further points deductions in the future.
Next season, the Owls will begin on zero points. A huge sigh of relief no doubt for fans and the prospective new owners, whoever they may be.
It gets better though. Despite originally receiving information suggesting otherwise, we now understand the fee restriction that had originally been placed on the Owls through until the summer transfer window of 2027 will end in January 2026.
This is major news. It means the new owners can plot an immediate transfer plan next summer to recover the club from League One (an inevitability given they're now on -10 points and 27 from safety).
Further to this, we understand a bidder was shown around Hillsborough on Monday. We believe there are competing bidders for the club that are above the '25p in the pound' threshold that will prevent the club from facing any penalties once they exit administration.
This has been a tumultuous period for Sheffield Wednesday but all in all, the news will be welcomed by supporters. The new owners will get a clean slate to try to turn the fortunes of the club around.
Image source, Getty Images
