Sheffield Wednesday’s summer rebuild appears to be moving at serious speed, with the Owls now looking like they have several key pieces of business either completed, close, or firmly in motion.
While supporters are still waiting for the official announcements, the feeling around Hillsborough is that Callum Slattery, Barry Bannan and Tayo Adaramola are effectively in the bag.
That would represent a huge early boost for Henrik Pedersen and Simon Wilson, who are tasked with reshaping a threadbare squad capable of bouncing straight back from League One.
Slattery has been heavily linked with Wednesday after leaving Motherwell, and the former Southampton midfielder would add exactly the sort of energy, technical quality and League One-ready bite the Owls need in the middle of the park.
Bannan’s potential return would be the emotional headline. The former captain remains one of the most influential players of the modern Sheffield Wednesday era, and while his departure to Millwall looked like the end of the story, the door now appears to have reopened.
If Wednesday can bring him back into this new-look squad, it would give the club not just quality on the ball, but leadership, standards and a direct connection to the supporters at a time when belief is starting to build again.
Adaramola, meanwhile, would be another smart piece of business. The Crystal Palace defender spent time on loan at Hillsborough last season and showed enough to suggest there is a player worth developing. With Max Lowe also staying, Wednesday could suddenly have far stronger left-sided defensive options than many expected a few weeks ago.
And those three may only be the beginning.
A fresh batch of names have been linked with Wednesday in recent days, with Davis Keillor-Dunn, Yuki Ohashi, Colby Bishop and Harry Gray all reportedly on the radar.
Keillor-Dunn would be a real statement signing at League One level. The former Barnsley forward was outstanding before his move to Wrexham, scoring regularly and proving he can hurt teams in this division. His time in North Wales has not quite gone to plan, but that does not take away from what he has already shown at this level.
Ohashi is perhaps the most intriguing of the latest links. The Blackburn Rovers forward played regularly in the Championship and hit double figures last season, so the idea of Wednesday tempting him down a division would underline the scale of the project now being sold at Hillsborough.
Bishop is a more familiar League One name. The Portsmouth striker has a strong record at this level and would bring a clear focal point to the attack, although questions remain around whether he is the right fit for where Wednesday want to go next.
Then there is Harry Gray, the highly-rated Leeds United youngster. A loan move for the 17-year-old would be a different type of deal, but one that could help Wednesday strengthen relationships with Premier League clubs while adding raw attacking potential to the squad.
The key difference this summer is that Wednesday are no longer just being linked with leftovers.
These are players with profiles, value and purpose. Some are proven League One performers. Some have Championship experience. Others fit the younger, higher-upside model that Wednesday have too often failed to exploit in the past.
Ricardo Santos and Jordi Liongola are already through the door. Liam Cooper and Max Lowe have committed to new deals. If Slattery, Bannan and Adaramola are added next, the foundations of a competitive squad start to look much stronger.
There is still a long way to go. Wednesday need depth, goals, legs in midfield, and probably more than one attacking option before the window closes.
But for the first time in a long time, the Owls appear to be operating with a plan.
The rumour mill is moving quickly. The names are getting more interesting. And if even a few of these links become reality, Sheffield Wednesday’s League One rebuild could start to look less like damage repair and more like a genuine promotion push.
Build your Sheffield Wednesday XI
With more signings expected and the squad starting to take shape, supporters can now start piecing together what Henrik Pedersen’s side might look like next season.
Who starts? Who misses out?
Try it yourself with our WAWAW News Squad Builder and create your own Sheffield Wednesday XI for the new season:
Build your Wednesday squad here: wawaw.news/squad