Sheffield Wednesday confirm retained list as summer rebuild begins
Sheffield Wednesday have confirmed their retained list ahead of the 2026/27 season, with the first significant squad decisions of the club’s new era now set out.
Following a hugely turbulent campaign, the Owls are beginning to shape the group that will head into League One under new ownership, and the retained list provides an early indication of where the rebuilding process may begin. Wednesday exited administration earlier this month following the completion of the Arise Capital Partners takeover, avoiding a further points deduction and giving the club a cleaner platform from which to plan for next season.
Six players have been offered new contracts by the club: Liam Cooper, Bruno Fernandes, Reece Johnson, Devlan Moses, Jack Phillips and Jarvis Thornton.
Cooper’s inclusion is perhaps the most notable senior decision. The experienced defender joined Wednesday on a short-term deal in November, signing until the summer of 2026, and has now been given the opportunity to extend his stay at Hillsborough.
The club have also exercised options to extend the deals of George Brown, Svante Ingelsson, Jamal Lowe, Cole McGhee, Denny Oliver, Liam Palmer, Logan Stretch and Ernie Weaver.
That means Palmer, who was appointed club captain following Barry Bannan’s January departure, remains part of the immediate plans, while Ingelsson and Lowe are also retained after featuring prominently during the 2025/26 campaign.
There are three further cases still unresolved. Wednesday say dialogue remains ongoing with Max Lowe, Mackenzie Maltby and Gui Siqueira, all of whom are out of contract this summer.
The list also confirms a number of departures. Nathaniel Chalobah, Harry Evers, Dominic Iorfa, Junior Kamwa, Marvelous Nakamba, Favour Onukwuli, Rio Shipston and Zain Silcott-Duberry will leave the club at the end of their contracts.
Chalobah had already publicly confirmed that his time at Hillsborough was coming to an end, having joined Wednesday in the summer of 2024.
Five loan players will also return to their parent clubs: Tayo Adaramola, Murphy Cooper, Jaden Heskey, Joel Ndala and Jerry Yates. All arrived during the 2025/26 season as Wednesday attempted to navigate an exceptionally difficult year on and off the pitch.
The retained list will not define Wednesday’s summer on its own, but it is the first formal step in a major reset at Hillsborough. With the takeover complete, a return to League One confirmed and a considerable squad rebuild required, attention will now turn to which contract offers are accepted, whether agreements can be reached with those still in talks, and how quickly the club moves in the transfer market.