How much Sheffield Wednesday paid to sign Ike Ugbo as new claim made on Hillsborough future | OneFootball

Football League World takes a look at just how much the Owls paid for the striker who has had a difficult year with the club.

The 2024/25 campaign looks to be coming to a stuttering end for Sheffield Wednesday, and despite a 2-1 win over Middlesbrough at Hillsborough on Easter Monday, the mood is quite low in S6.

Danny Rohl's future with the Owls is very much in the air, and while a potential takeover has started to gain traction in recent days, any hope of finishing in the play-offs in 2024/25 was lost a few weeks ago.

The South Yorkshire outfit are part of a very exclusive club right now, as just one of seven teams to be confirmed to play in the Championship in 2025/26, but major improvements are needed if they are to ensure their second tier status once again in a year's time.

Some signings have simply not been good enough, and Football League World has taken a look at one of those and how much Sheffield Wednesday paid for him after a new claim was made by Lee Hendrie about his future at Hillsborough.

Ike Ugbo cost Sheffield Wednesday a significant amount

Ike Ugbo had a strong loan spell with the Owls at the end of last season, scoring seven goals and registering one assist in 18 Championship appearances after finding the back of the net four times in 20 games for Cardiff City earlier in the campaign.

Rohl was desperate to bring the Canada international back to South Yorkshire in the summer, and he was able to secure a deal with French club Troyes.

Sheffield Wednesday paid £2.5m for Ugbo, and many expected him to carry from where he left off in 2023/24, but the permanent transfer has not worked out for the club or the player and he has had a really disappointing season.

In 33 matches he has failed to score or assist, and he has started just 15 times in the league for the Owls in the Championship in this campaign.

These failures mean that his future at Hillsborough will be up for debate in the summer, and after such a significant fee was paid, it will be tough for Wednesday to recoup some of the lost money.

Hendrie's claim on Ugbo's Owls future is confusing

While many in S6 will be happy to see the back of the striker in the transfer window, when speaking exclusively to FLW, Lee Hendrie has urged the Owls to keep hold of him and give him one more chance.

He told FLW: "Sheffield Wednesday may obviously try and cut their losses with Ike Ugbo. He’s been a bit of a disappointment in the signing department, but I do seem to feel that where are Sheffield Wednesday going at this moment in time.

"I think that he could have a good season next season. I feel that he has got ability for sure. It just hasn't worked for him at the moment."

Hendrie continued: "Sometimes that's down to the personnel in the squad and getting better players in and around him. You also question if they are going to strengthen again after this season.

"I think that they need to keep players rather than get rid of players, and I think that he could be one that I would certainly keep hold of rather than cut their losses."

Although he may be able to become a star in a new system with different players around him, it seems unlikely at this moment in time and moving him on could allow for another striker to come in who could be more of a threat.

£2.5m is a lot of money for a footballer who has failed to live up to any expectations, and Sheffield Wednesday must cut their losses now and try to salvage any fee for the 26-year-old.