Sheffield Wednesday’s recent transfer activity resembles buses – you wait ages the one and then two come along at once.
Following yesterday’s news that Owls fan Chris Sedgwick is on his way to Hillsborough the Owls have today wrapped up a deal to bring full-back Jon Otsemobor to the club.
Like Sedgwick, Ostemobor is coming to the end of his contract, in his case at Southampton, and will officially become an Owls player by virtue of a free transfer when his current deal expires.
The 27-year-old began his career coming through the ranks at home-town club Liverpool, making just a handful of appearances for the Merseyside giants interspersed with short loan spells at Hull City, Bolton and Crewe Alexandra between 2002 and 2005.
In the summer of 2005 he joined Rotherham United on a free transfer before moving onto Crewe in January 2006 and although he performed well for the Gresty Road outfit they were unable to avoid relegation from the Championship.
Ostemobor spent another full season at Crewe before moving onto Norwich in the summer of 2007.
After an a promising first season at the club the Liverpudlian lost his way and was in and out of the side that suffered relegation in 2008/09. A poor start to last season saw him out of the side and he moved onto Southampton in January of this year and started 19 games for the Saints in what was a successful second half of the season for them, only narrowly missing out on a play-off spot despite their points deduction.
Otsemobor has agreed a two-year deal with the Owls who have been looking to fill the right-back spot this summer following the departure of Frank Simek. Preston defender Eddie Nolan impressed in a brief loan spell at Hillsborough at the end of last season and was thought to be a target but North End are thought to want a fee for the Irishman and Wednesday are working to a tight budget in that regard.
Alan Irvine will be hoping to hone the defensive skills of Otsemobor and eradicate some of the inconsistencies that have seen him become something of a journeyman whilst utilising his natural pace and willingness to get forward.