Sheffield Wednesday are being linked with former Hearts sporting director Joe Savage as plans continue to take shape behind the scenes for a possible new era at Hillsborough.
According to reports, Savage is among the candidates being considered for a newly-created sporting director role if David Storch and his group complete their proposed takeover of the club. With the situation still unresolved, much remains up in the air, but it appears work is already being done on what a post-takeover structure could look like.
For years, one of the biggest frustrations around Wednesday has been the lack of a clear football structure above the manager. Too much has depended on the owner, too much has changed from one regime to the next, and too many key decisions have felt reactive rather than part of a joined-up plan. If a takeover does go through, putting a proper chain of command in place will need to be one of the first priorities.
A sporting director working alongside Henrik Pedersen and recruitment chief Kevin Beadell would point to a more modern model, with clearer responsibilities and a longer-term approach to squad building.
Savage is a name that will not be familiar to every Wednesday supporter, but his background suggests he is not being mentioned lightly.
Still only in his early 40s, he has built a strong reputation in recruitment and football operations over the past decade. He worked his way through roles at Hamilton Academical, Norwich City and Preston North End before stepping into the sporting director position at Hearts in 2020.
His spell at Tynecastle is where his profile really grew. During his time there, Hearts won promotion back to the Scottish Premiership and went on to qualify for European football in three consecutive seasons. He was also credited with helping to improve the club’s wider football operation, including recruitment processes, infrastructure and development pathways.
Savage has often been described as someone who combines traditional scouting with a more data-led approach, which is exactly the kind of profile many clubs are now looking for. At a Wednesday side that has too often looked like it has been patched together from one transfer window to the next, that kind of thinking would be welcome.
Savage left Hearts in 2024 and has since launched his own consultancy business, remaining active in football recruitment and brokerage. That means he is out there, available, and still well connected across the game. If Wednesday are serious about bringing in someone to lead football operations, he fits the profile of an experienced operator who has worked across different levels and in different structures.
Of course, all of this depends on the takeover actually happening.
That remains the main issue hanging over everything at Hillsborough. The longer it drags on, the harder it becomes to prepare properly for the summer, and supporters have heard enough false dawns over the years to know better than to get carried away too early. But if these reports are accurate, they do at least suggest that those involved in the proposed takeover are thinking beyond the deal itself.
That is what Wednesday need.
Not another short-term fix. Not another summer of rushed decisions. Not another season shaped by uncertainty from the top down.
They need structure, accountability and a football department that knows what it is trying to build. Joe Savage may or may not be the man who ends up filling that role, but the fact Sheffield Wednesday are being linked with someone of that profile is, in itself, an interesting sign.
For now, it is one to watch. But if the takeover gets over the line and Wednesday do move for a sporting director, supporters will rightly see it as one of the clearest signs yet that the club could finally be heading towards a more stable setup.