Could penalty miss be Whelan's last kick for Owls?

Last updated : 24 January 2008 By C. Morris

Glenn Whelan has been one of the main 1st team players linked with a move away from Hillsborough during the current transfer window.

A range of clubs from struggling Premier League sides to mid-table Championship outfits have shown an interest but non have so far matched Wednesday's asking price for the midfielder who will be out of contract in the summer as things stand.

With Wednesday not playing this weekend and with just two days of the transfer window left after the game at Wolves next Tuesday now could be a crucial time in this ongoing transfer saga.

The Owls are seemingly unwilling to negotiate further on a new contract and so it looks as though the Irishman's future lies elsewhere, however, it may well be in his best interests to wait until the summer.

Last season saw Madjid Bougherra leave the Owls to fulfil his dream of playing in the Premier League. This saw him play only a handful of games and he is now back in the Championship with Charlton. Had he waited until the end of the season and carried on his good form for Wednesday he could have perhaps thought his decision through further and maybe picked a move that would have seen him have at least a full season in the top flight and it could be much the same scenario for Whelan, especially as interested clubs know they will have the opportunity to pick he up without a fee this summer.

It is no secret that Wednesday need the money from transfers and are reluctant to let Whelan leave for free but if they wait until the last few days of the window they could be forced into a rushed sale, leaving the club with little or no time to bring in a replacement which could well have a detrimental effect on results with little other options in terms of an attack minded central midfielder in the squad at the moment.

If Whelan is sold this month then he needs to be replaced and Brian Laws will need some time to be able to do this effectively.