As David Storch prepares to complete his takeover of Sheffield Wednesday, it appears that he has made a decision regarding the future of manager Henrik Pedersen.

Following the collapse of James Bord’s proposed takeover, Arise Capital Partners — a group led by Storch and including his son Michael and Tom Costin — was named the club’s new preferred bidder last month, and while a deal has yet to be completed, significant progress has been made in recent weeks as Wednesday look to emerge from administration, more than five months after Dejphon Chansiri’s departure.

granted the wreckage Chansiri left behind, Storch will have a lot of work to do, both on and off the pitch, if he is granted the go-ahead to acquire the Owls, but the first significant decision he had to make was over Pedersen’s predicament, which has divided the fanbase.

Pedersen took over at Wednesday in July after Danny Rohl left just over a week before the season began, and the huge exit of important players in the summer meant he had to work with a depleted squad while also dealing with a slew of off-field issues.

However, Pedersen has won just one of his 43 games in charge in all competitions, and the Owls suffered the earliest relegation in English football history when their fate was confirmed following a defeat to their Steel City rivals Sheffield United at Bramall Lane in February, with 13 games remaining in the season.

David Storch makes a significant Henrik Pedersen decision as the Sheffield Wednesday acquisition looms.

It was widely expected that Pedersen’s departure in the summer was a formality, especially under new ownership, but the attitude surrounding his situation has transformed in recent weeks.

The first hints concerning Pedersen’s future came last month when he told Danish media that it was “100 percent my expectation” that he would continue in charge at Hillsborough next season, though he did concede that he was “waiting to find out who the new owners will be and what they want”.

Pedersen then hinted that he would be staying after Wednesday’s 2-0 defeat to Ipswich Town, revealing that he planned to meet with Tractor Boys manager Kieran McKenna during the international break to discuss how he has approached his rebuild at Portman Road and to draw inspiration for his own project in S6.

However, it has now been essentially confirmed that Pedersen will remain as Owls manager next season if Storch completes his buyout, with The Star stating that he will be given the opportunity to spearhead the club’s recovery under the American businessman.

Storch is in the UK to meet with key players at Hillsborough regarding a takeover proposal. He spoke with Pedersen, who expressed optimism about his employment prospects after conversations on Wednesday.I have a two-year contract and would like to stay here, and we have some really good conversations, so I do everything I can to prepare Sheffield Wednesday for a season in League One, which includes planning the entire pre-season, profiling for scouting, and getting an overview of all the free transfers in League One, the Championship, and so on. There’s a lot to do, and we assist each other out,” Pedersen told The Star.

David Storch’s first big Sheffield Wednesday bet is a bold call by Henrik Pedersen.

Pedersen has gained a lot of respect and affection this season for how he has handled himself in the most difficult of situations, but considering his terrible record, it is fair to say that many fans are skeptical that he is the ideal man to lead Wednesday forward in the long run.

It could be argued that Pedersen should not be judged on results this season, given that he has had his hands tied behind his back and has had to work with a squad that lacks the depth and quality required even to compete at Championship level, so some may believe he deserves a proper chance to show what he can do in a more stable environment.

However, with the Owls expected to incur another 15-point deduction in League One next season, Storch is taking a significant risk by continuing with Pedersen, and he will be hoping that his trust in the Dane is rewarded.