Sheffield Wednesday’s new owners must make a definite decision on Barry Bannan’s future.
The Owls have been under administration since late October, following former owner Dejphon Chansiri’s inability to pay a £1 million HMRC bill.
Although Wednesday received an automatic 12-point deduction, which has subsequently been extended to 18, there has been plenty of interest in a possible takeover.
As many as 80 parties expressed interest in purchasing the Owls, and the administrators narrowed that list down to only the most serious choices.
Some interested parties, including a consortium formed by former Crystal Palace owner and talkSPORT anchor Simon Jordan, have subsequently dropped out of the competition. Ryan Howsam, a Sheffield-born insurance entrepreneur, supported Jordan’s quest to take over the Owls, but reservations over compensating Chansiri finally killed the idea.
Former Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley made an early offer of £20 million to become Sheffield Wednesday’s new owner, but that offer was quickly surpassed by three other parties.
According to recent reports, Ashley, US billionaire John McEvoy, and ex-professional poker player James Bord are the three most likely candidates to purchase the Steel City side.
According to additional sources, none of those three were able to submit an offer worthy of exclusivity, therefore fans will have to wait even longer to find out who their new owners are. No matter who takes over Sheffield Wednesday, they must make one decision about Barry Bannan.
Sheffield Wednesday’s new owners must retain Barry Bannan.
Sheffield Wednesday has had a turbulent year in 2025, with Chansiri nearly driving the club into the ground due to financial mismanagement and an inability to pay playing staff.
During this time, some players chose to depart Hillsborough. Josh Windass, Michael Smith, Djeidi Gassama, and Pol Valentin all decided to pursue new opportunities, leaving Wednesday with a vastly inexperienced roster.
Despite widespread transfer interest in his services, one individual elected to stay with Wednesday throughout. That guy is Bannan, who decided to extend his decade-long contract with the Steel City club even further this summer.
The 36-year-old has been the Owls’ finest player for several years, and he has maintained that status throughout the first half of this season.
Even though the players around him aren’t the best, Bannan has continued to shine, starting all 21 of Wednesday’s second-tier games so far.
He creates more than two chances for his teammates every game and has more than five predicted assists, which, when contrasted to his actual tally of two, demonstrates his performance level in comparison to the rest of the club.
When a new owner is chosen to take over Sheffield Wednesday, one of the first things they must do is handle Bannan’s issue.
The midfielder’s Hillsborough contract is set to expire at the end of the season, which is not a situation the Owls want to confront again. Given that the Scotsman is nearing the end of his career, the club may be inventive in the conditions it offers him next.
Bannan still has the ability to compete at the Championship level, therefore he should be able to thrive in League One next season. However, playing so much football this season could have a significant impact on his physical health.
As a result, Wednesday might offer the 36-year-old a contract that allows him to join the club’s coaching staff whenever he deems it appropriate.
This would ensure that he stays at Hillsborough, which must be one of the Owls’ new owners’ top priorities.
Barry Bannan would declare allegiance to Sheffield Wednesday.
If Sheffield Wednesday’s new owners made Bannan an offer to stay at Hillsborough after this season, there is ample evidence that he would accept.
The 36-year-old has been with the Steel City side for ten years, which is an extremely long time to be with a single club.
His choice to stay with the Owls during the summer, when players weren’t being paid consistently, demonstrated Bannan’s dedication to the cause.
As a result, it wouldn’t be surprising if he extended his stay under new ownership and played a role in Wednesday’s promising future.
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