Sheffield Wednesday supporters will be full to the brim with optimism ahead of the new Championship season getting underway this coming weekend, overjoyed at the amount of business that has taken place this summer to improve the Owls squad.
Nine new bodies have entered the building at Hillsborough this busy transfer window, but a fresh first-team striker to lead the line week in week out continues to evade Danny Rohl's men, with ex-Manchester United youngster Charlie McNeill more one for the future in attack.
The South Yorkshire outfit will continue pushing for attacking recruits, and as per reports, a move for one desired target could go right down to the wire of transfer deadline day.
Wednesday still chasing deal for former loanee
As per football journalist Alex Miller last weekend, Wednesday are continuing to battle away in their attempts to re-sign former loan star Ike Ugbo on a permanent deal, but face competition from the likes of Sunderland in the Championship.
Talking after his side's goalless friendly draw with CD Leganes, Rohl expects a deal to get Ugbo into the building to have a "photo finish", with a real concern in the air that the ex-Chelsea youth player could opt to become a Black Cats player heading into the new campaign, as opposed to reuniting with his former manager.
How Ugbo can be Wednesday's next Nuhiu
This would be a major blow for Wednesday, who are in dire need of a main man to fire home the goals heading into what could be an exciting season to follow, with Lee Gregory no longer on the books up top and Bailey Cadamarteri also being touted for a loan switch away.
If Ugbo was to return and pick up from where he left off, he could – in time – become a new cult hero for Wednesday fans to look back on, in a similar vain to Atdhe Nuhiu, who is still adored around Hillsborough for his past goalscoring exploits.
Nuhiu, despite his colossal 6 foot 6 frame, would go on to score some sublime strikes for the Owls, with the best of the bunch coming in 2018, when an outrageous solo goal found the back of the net versus Preston North End.
The Kosovo international would make 277 appearances in total for Wednesday over seven seasons, helping himself to 50 goals and 27 assists along the way, leading to Nuhiu becoming the joint tenth-highest goalscorer in Owls history.
Games played
38
Goals scored
11
Assists
2
Shots*
1.3
Big chances missed
7
Scoring frequency
204 mins
Big chances created
3
Ugbo might well become the South Yorkshire club's next Nuhiu if he relocates back to Wednesday soon, having become a nomad after leaving Chelsea behind permanently, knowing that he will need a fixed home to call his own eventually where he can excel.
Netting an impressive 11 goals last season for both Cardiff and Wednesday – the same amount that saw Nuhiu become the Owls' top scorer in the league for the 2017/18 campaign – Ugbo would manage to register seven of those donning the blue and white stripes of Rohl's men, linking up with the likes of Anthony Musaba to devastating effect.
The £15k-per-week man – as per Capology – could, arguably, be the last piece of the jigsaw Rohl wants ahead of what might be a very positive Championship season to come, as the Owls strive to be way above the relegation spots and a potential surprise package.
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