Ricky-Jade Jones in: Realistic last-minute transfers Sheffield Wednesday should try and secure | OneFootball

We looked at some of the players Sheffield Wednesday should target in the final days of the transfer window.

It has been a frustrating January transfer window for Sheffield Wednesday, but they will be hoping to do business before Monday's deadline.

Wednesday narrowly avoided relegation from the Championship last season, and after a busy summer transfer window that saw the arrival of 11 new players, they have made significant progress under manager Danny Rohl this campaign.

The Owls have emerged as surprise play-off contenders in recent months, but while everything has been largely positive on the pitch, there have been problems behind the scenes at Hillsborough after a breakdown in communication between Rohl and owner Dejphon Chansiri.

At an explosive fan forum two weeks ago, Chansiri revealed that he had not spoken to Rohl since December, and he also admitted that no discussions had taken place with the manager over potential January transfer targets.

Much to the relief of Wednesday supporters, Rohl and Chansiri have now resolved their dispute and are working on bringing in new additions, but with just days remaining in the window, the pair do not have much time to bolster the squad.

As the clock ticks down to the 11pm deadline on Monday night, we looked at some of the last minute deals the Owls should target.

Harry Darling

Despite their lofty league position, Wednesday have had one of the leakiest defences in the Championship this season, and that is one issue that Rohl may be keen to address before the closure of the window.

The Owls did make a bid to sign Ipswich Town defender Harry Clarke on loan this week, but they missed out on his signature to Steel City rivals Sheffield United, and they will now need to look elsewhere in their search for defensive reinforcements.

One player that should be on their radar is Swansea City defender Harry Darling, who is out of contract at the Welsh outfit in the summer.

Darling joined the Swans from MK Dons in the summer of 2022, and he has caught the eye with some impressive performances in the Championship over the past two-and-a-half years.

With talks over a new contract stalling, Swansea could decide to cash in Darling over the next few days rather than risk losing him for free in the summer, and the 25-year-old is believed to be attracting interest from Bristol City, Birmingham City and Sheffield United.

While they would face strong competition, Wednesday should consider joining the race for Darling's signature as he would not only add some much-needed solidity to the defence, but his quality with the ball at his feet could also help Rohl to implement a more progressive style of play.

Ricky-Jade Jones

Given the struggles of the likes of Ike Ugbo and Jamal Lowe this season, bringing in a new striker is likely to be a priority for Wednesday before the window slams shut, and Peterborough United's Ricky-Jade Jones could be a possible option to bolster their forward line.

Like Darling, Jones is out of contract at his current club in the summer, and while Posh will be incredibly reluctant to lose one of their star men while in the middle of a relegation battle in League One, owner Darragh MacAnthony will not want to miss out on a potentially sizeable transfer fee.

Cardiff City have had a bid rejected for Jones this month, while he has also been linked with a number of other Championship clubs, including Sheffield United, Middlesbrough and Norwich City.

Peterborough manager Darren Ferguson once described Jones as "the quickest player I've ever managed", and after the 22-year-old scored 12 goals in 54 games last season, he has already matched that total this campaign.

Jones' development over the past year has been clear to see, and given Rohl's track record of improving players, he could help the striker reach new heights if he was to make the move to Hillsborough.

Marc Guiu

A deal for Jones may be slightly out of Wednesday's price range, and with finances tight at the club, they could turn to the loan market in their hunt for a new striker.

The Owls have had plenty of success recruiting from the Premier League this season, with James Beadle and Shea Charles both excelling during their loan spells at Hillsborough, and they should now target Chelsea striker Marc Guiu.

Guiu made the move to Stamford Bridge from Barcelona in the summer for a fee of €6 million (£5 million), and he has scored six goals in 12 appearances for the Blues so far, including a hat-trick in the 5-1 Europa Conference League win over Shamrock Rovers in December.

However, Guiu's prolific form in Europe has not resulted in opportunities in the top flight, with the 19-year-old making just two substitute appearances in the league so far this season, and he could be sent out on loan to the Championship before the deadline.

Middlesbrough, Burnley, West Bromwich Albion and Leeds United are all said to be keen on Guiu, so it would be tough for Wednesday to win the race, but they would likely be able to guarantee the Spaniard significantly more game time than his other suitors, which could give them an advantage.