Sheffield Wednesday will approach the upcoming League One season with considerably different expectations following what happened in the Championship.

The Owls were unable to compete in the 2025/26 season because to the chaos off the pitch caused by ringleader Dejphon Chansiri, and the team finished at the bottom of the second tier.

However, with new owners and a clean slate, it appears that the gloomy clouds have parted over Hillsborough, with Henrik Pedersen set to lead Wednesday into a new dawn.

Given the club’s stature and history, many would pick the South Yorkshire club for promotion, but former midfielder Chris Waddle says they must work hard this summer to achieve their goal.

Chris Waddle says Sheffield Wednesday require a makeover this summer.

Sheffield Wednesday do not exactly have a big squad as they move into the summer, with a number of players expected to leave when their contracts expire at the end of this month.

Dominic Iorfa, Nathaniel Chalobah, and Marvellous Nakamba are among those leaving Hillsborough, while Max Lowe, Mackenzie Maltby, and Gui Siqueira’s futures remain uncertain.

With that in mind, the Owls are likely to conduct significant business this summer, with new owner David Storch already working behind the scenes at Hillsborough.

Former Wednesday player Waddle, who spent four years with the South Yorkshire club, explains what the team needs to do to contend for promotion.Waddle told the Sheffield Star that the team’s mentality will need to change for next season.Wednesday needs to get out of the blocks immediately. But they need 15 to 20 players this summer.”

What positions should Wednesday prioritise during the transfer window?

Clearly, the Owls require an overhaul this summer, given their existing squad depth and the increased expectations that will accompany them into the new season.

However, the club has more bodies in various sections and will undoubtedly prioritise specific areas of the pitch.

Sheffield Wednesday must add depth in the goalkeeping department for starters, with only Pierce Charles and Logan Stretch to choose from, particularly given how much of the season the former has missed due to injury.

With Rio Shipton, Nakamba, and Chalobah leaving, the club’s central midfield options are limited to Jarvis Thornton and Svante Ingelsson.

Ingelsson, in particular, had sparked attention from a number of Championship clubs in recent months, including Portsmouth, Millwall, West Bromwich Albion, and Stoke City, before the Owls took the key decision to activate a contract extension clause for the Dane last month.

Both flanks will need to be targeted, as Olaf Kobacki is Wednesday’s only wide player, but the club does have three forward options in Ike Ugbo, Charlie McNeill, and Jamal Lowe.

However, it remains to be seen what the future holds for the former of the trio in particular, since some Wednesdayites have noted that he has erased all previous Owls-related tweets from his social media sites.

While Pedersen’s squad is small, they do have players who may thrive in League One, as well as some promising young prospects, but this will not be enough to contend.

Given that Sheffield Wednesday is once again an appealing prospect for players, they should be able to recruit a slew of quality this summer, with former Stockport County playmaker Odin Bailey among those linked with a move to Hillsborough.