Sheffield Wednesday manager Henrik Pedersen says the club will want to strengthen its midfield and offensive options in January.

Wednesday have been given the possibility to bring in at least a number of players on no-fee loan agreements this month as the club’s player welfare concerns intensify.

However, the Sheffield Star reports that the Owls manager is not looking for any new defenders.

This season, Henrik Pedersen’s side leads the Championship in goals conceded, but they also have the unenviable distinction of scoring the fewest goals in the second division, with only 18 goals in 25 games.

As a result, the Sheffield Wednesday manager wants to assist increase that number, and while not expressly stated, the Star claims Manchester City’s Jaden Heskey is a name the struggling Championship club has considered.

Henrik Pedersen grants transfer admittance as fresh loan slots open up.

It’s been over a week since the EFL allowed Sheffield Wednesday to sign another handful of loan players.

The Owls have been subject to transfer restrictions following the disastrous conclusion of former owner Dejphon Chansiri’s reign at Hillsborough, which saw multiple late payments to players, resulting in embargos and senior players leaving for free.

On the field, Wednesday has had a rough season, with a tiny senior squad pushed to its limits and multiple injuries as a result. Henrik Pedersen plans to add to his team in January, with a focus on players further up the field.”If our entire team is fit, we have a lot of defenders,” he told the Sheffield Star.However, we do not have many offensive players or central midfielders. We are looking for midfielders to fill spots, but it’s important to balance what we desire with what is realistically achievable.We’re preparing by speaking with clubs, managers, and sporting directors to discover some fascinating players who can aid us, as well as explaining why we’re a good fit. We know we’re a fantastic fit for young players.”

Indeed, while Wednesday cannot afford to pay a fee for any of these loan movements, they have demonstrated in the first half of the season that their bad circumstance may be a terrific opportunity for young talents to acquire plenty of game time at Championship level.

Harry Amass improved dramatically during his loan time at Hillsborough, and they now face losing the 18-year-old for the second half of the season, with other second-tier clubs showing interest.

Jaden Heskey has been on Sheffield Wednesday’s radar. The energetic midfielder was not specifically mentioned by Pedersen, but given the Danish manager’s transfer preferences, he is expected to be high on the list of potential loan acquisitions if Manchester City can agree on a no-fee deal.

Henrik Pedersen admits that transactions might not be completed until later in the January window.

It appears that both transactions will take some time to complete at Hillsborough, similar to how Sheffield Wednesday secured Amass’ loan deal on Deadline Day last summer.

Pedersen admits it is “difficult” to operate on no-fee loans during the transfer window.”We are still in the early stages of the transfer window, so we can only acquire young players or those who are slightly older,” he explained.Perhaps it may seem a little different later in the window — without money, it can be difficult.”

Wednesday were close to signing the Manchester City U21 player on loan this summer, but the EFL vetoed the move on Deadline Day in September.

Now, there’s an increased anticipation that the Owls will be able to add more firepower in the engine room and up front before the February 2nd deadline, and if the 20-year-old is still available by then, Sheffield Wednesday may be confident in their ability to complete a deal.