Barry Bannan could yet be leaving Sheffield Wednesday after 10 years with the club. His next potential destination? Wrexham.
Wrexham could be about to benefit from the mess that is unfolding at Sheffield Wednesday, as owner Dejphon Chansiri fails to pay players and risks them all handing in their notice and leaving for nothing.
But Barry Bannan is among those who are keen to stay on board. The 35-year-old Bannan has revealed he wants to stay at Sheffield Wednesday beyond this summer, having now become a free agent after his contract expired earlier this week.
Wrexham have been linked with a move for Bannan this summer and it’s a move that could prove fruitful, given Bannan’s wealth of experience in the Championship and his sheer quality, too, scoring four and assisting five more in 41 Championship games last season.
But Phil Parkinson may have to wait on a potential deal for the Scot, as he looks to be seeing how matters at Hillsborough unfold before making a concrete decision on whether or not he’ll move on.
The latest on Barry Bannan’s Sheffield Wednesday future amid Wrexham transfer links
The loyalty of Bannan certainly cannot be questioned: he’s had chances to leave Wednesday over the years and this current mess would prove the end for even the most determined, but Bannan is still with the club, per The Star, having returned to training despite not having a contract anymore.
They report that there’s no official update on his future. But Bannan remains keen on staying and that ‘the hope is that’ he does eventually sign a new deal and lead the team out in the 2025/26 season, which could yet prove utterly disastrous for the Owls. Bannan’s stance on a move to Wrexham then remains unchanged: he’s uninterested for the time being.
Sheffield Wednesday are heading to St George’s Park later in July to step up their pre-season plans and Bannan is expected to be with what is left of the squad. So for Wrexham, it looks like they’ll just have to keep tabs on Bannan for the time being, and then swoop in should he decide to leave.
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Wrexham would be a very safe bet for Barry Bannan
It’s heart-breaking to see what’s happening at Sheffield Wednesday right now. But Wrexham and indeed many others could benefit from what’s going on by snapping up a number of their quality players on free transfers.
There are several Championship teams interested in Bannan this summer, including the likes of Stoke City and Derby County as well as Wrexham, who could yet prove to be an exciting option for the former Aston Villa man, and not just because of the club’s story.
Reports this summer have detailed how Wrexham could pay players up to £30,000-a-week in wages. Bannan is understood to be earning around the £40,000-a-week mark at Wednesday and whether he stays or leaves, he’ll undoubtedly have to take a pay cut.
Wrexham are now one of the clubs in the Championship who are offering something close to that mark, and on a one-year deal, Bannan could be a great investment for the Dragons, and it could be an ideal move for Bannan too.
For the time being though, he remains loyal to the Owls.