Sheffield Wednesday: January reveal concerning Brighton, James Beadle transfer | OneFootball

The Owls have brought a young shot-stopper back to Hillsborough, but there's a risk he might not be there as long as they had hoped.

Highlights

There is reportedly a January recall clause in the loan deal that saw Brighton goalkeeper James Beadle return to Sheffield Wednesday in the summer but both clubs are confident he will spend all season at Hillsborough.

In the winter transfer window of the 2023/24 campaign Danny Röhl's side that were given a boost by the Seagulls loanee.

Beadle, who arrived on a short-term loan from the Seagulls, and came in and impressed pretty quickly, was a key contributor to their miracle relegation survival.

While this was the goalkeeper's first time playing in the Championship, there was already a small EFL sample size on the teenager.

He spent the first half of the season with Oxford United in League One, where he kept seven clean sheets in 25 games. That stint at the Kassam Stadium caught the attention of Wednesday, and they were able to bring the keeper in thanks to a January clause that Brighton had agreed with Oxford.

They recalled him early from his scheduled season-long loan in order to send him up a division to the Owls.

January recall clause inserted in Sheffield Wednesday, Brighton loan deal

Now, Wednesday themselves may be at risk of going through what the U's did in January, and have to find a new number one on short notice, as Brighton have a clause in the deal that allows them to end the loan spell in January, if they want to.

This news comes from the Sheffield Star, who added that, even though this clause is in the agreement, both parties are hoping that Beadle will see out his full season-long spell.

Danny Röhl's prediction for James Beadle

The manager wanted to bring the 19-year-old back to Hillsborough if he could this summer, and Beadle's return was confirmed last Wednesday. He's the second-latest Owls signing of the summer, after the club confirmed the arrival of former Manchester United youngster Charlie McNeill.

Röhl believes that the returning keeper is set up for big things in his career. "I think when we looked at the details from the second leg of the season, we had nine clean sheets and that's crucial when you want to win games especially in this league," the German boss said, via the Star.

"It was also a huge step forward in his path. He's a young goalkeeper but with a lot of different experience now and also a great attitude, he's very calm in difficult moments. I'm convinced that we will see him in the future high up in football."

Sheffield Wednesday shouldn't worry too much about losing Beadle in January

Usually, when players are recalled from one loan and immediately sent out again in the winter window, it's a case of going from a team in one league to one in the division above, or going from a lower-ranking side to a higher-ranking one in the same league.

Because of what Röhl was able to achieve in his first season, and it wasn't even a full one, with Wednesday, they will feel that they are going to be much higher up the league than they were last time out; probably at least around mid-table.

If that ends up being the case, then the teams that will be looking for a new shot-stopped in January won't be above them, so the threat of losing Beadle will be massively reduced.

Brighton are also unlikely to loan him to another top flight team, because they would just use him in their own squad if they wanted to test the teenager at their own level.