SUNDERLAND, ENGLAND - MAY 04: Josh Windass of Sheffield Wednesday celebrates scoring his team's second goal during the Sky Bet Championship match between Sunderland and Sheffield Wednesday at Stadium of Light on May 04, 2024 in Sunderland, England. (Photo by Nigel Roddis/Getty Images)
Josh Windass situation at Sheffield Wednesday now clarified after exit claim
Journalist Alex Miller has provided clarity on the future of Josh Windass at Sheffield Wednesday.
Recent reports have claimed that Josh Windass has rejected a final contract offer from Sheffield Wednesday.
Windass, 30, is currently out of contract at the end of June and is currently set to become a free agent.
The striker has interest from elsewhere in the Championship with Coventry City and Hull City thought to be leading the race for his signature.
It comes after an impressive end to the 2023/24 season for Windass who scored in each of Sheffield Wednesday’s final three games of the season.
Injury limited Windass to just 25 appearances in the Championship, with six goals making him the Owls’ third-highest scorer in the league after Ike Ugbo and Anthony Musaba.
Since arriving in 2020, Windass has racked up 135 appearances for the Sheffield Wednesday first-team, scoring 40 goals and grabbing 17 assists.
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Josh Windass future at Sheffield Wednesday becomes clear
Claims that Windass has rejected the final contract offer from Sheffield Wednesday, and is now set to leave as a free agent, follows reports that Windass was close to agreeing a new deal.
Per the club’s retained list, Windass was among those to be offered new terms. Journalist Alex Miller has revealed on X that a new deal for Windass is ‘not dead in the water’, but that ‘it’s close to that point’.
Miller also says that talks between Windass and Sheffield Wednesday were ‘back and forth’, adding that losing Windass ‘would be a big blow’ for Danny Rohl.
One reason why Sheffield Wednesday may now lose Josh Windass
After some tough years on and off the pitch at Sheffield Wednesday, it seems clear that owner Dejphon Chansiri is keen to turn a corner, and keen for Rohl to lead the way.
This summer gives the club a great chance to clear the decks and reduce the wage bill, which has been a real burden for the Owls for the past few years.
Windass, per Salary Sport, is the second highest-paid player at Sheffield Wednesday earning £18,000-a-week, so letting him go may make financial sense.
Windass may also have been pushing for a pay rise in order to stay, especially so after his strong finish to the campaign.
But with Sheffield Wednesday making wholesale changes, there may have been a figure that the Owls wouldn’t go past in terms of wages, hence this latest development.
Letting Windass go may be hard for Rohl and fans to stomach, but it could make financial sense.
Windass, for the amount he reportedly earns and the amount of games he actually plays in, is a bit of a strain on the wage bill.
If he leaves, it opens up space for someone else, or even more than one player to come in, ideally younger players too.
Whilst a new deal for Windass isn’t completely ruled out, it certainly seems unlikely now.
