Sheffield Wednesday will begin next season in League One, and it appears that they will return to the third division with a 15-point deduction, having lost 18 points in the 2025/26 Championship campaign.

Despite relegation, the Owls’ status on the pitch has improved significantly in recent weeks. Performances have improved significantly, and they have come dangerously close to their first victory since September.

However, everyone at Hillsborough is aware of the dangers that await them in the third tier next season. David Storch appears to be the guy to kick off the rehabilitation of the South Yorkshire team, but the club will need to make some promises as they work to repair their damaged club.

That includes the 15-point deduction, as Storch’s takeover will not meet the 25p per £1 payback rate required to begin the season on a level playing field, and it has been revealed in recent days that Sheffield Wednesday will be subject to a £7k-a-week salary restriction on new players.

Sheffield Wednesday have a significant pay concern moving into League One next season.

According to The Star, Owls representatives are attempting to strike a deal with the EFL to avoid being subjected to a wage ceiling next season, but the outcome of those conversations is unknown, and plans will be made for the club to enter the transfer market with such restrictions.

Given that Sheffield Wednesday will begin the season 15 points behind every other team, if Storch’s deal is approved, it will only exacerbate their problems in avoiding relegation to League Two, let alone an immediate return to the Championship via the play-offs or even automatic promotion.

In 2025/26, there are eight clubs in the League One with an expected salary bill of £7 million or more per year, to which the Owls will be limited next season, and thus the club will not be the only one competing in the division with such a low wage bill.

Nonetheless, Sheffield Wednesday faces a massive rebuild, making luring quality players to Hillsborough even more difficult, and The Star recently speculated that this circumstance could put Storch off a signing.

Sheffield Wednesday may miss out on targets due to wage limits.

Jerry Yates is just one of the players who appears to have already been recognized as a crucial figure in the club’s rebuilding efforts for next season, following an extraordinarily successful loan spell from Luton Town this season.

However, he is expected to cost a fee, and his wages may be a concern for Sheffield Wednesday, as he only joined the Hatters from Championship club Swansea City this summer.

Yates would be considered a new signing, despite his spell on loan in 2025/26, and Sheffield Wednesday would only be able to pay him £7k per week. Derby County found themselves in this scenario after being relegated to League One.

Nonetheless, the Rams shown how far that money can go, signing Conor Hourihane, Nathaniel Mendez-Laing, and Korey Smith. These three players were all experienced Championship players before arriving to Pride Park, but they were ready to drop their wage demands, allowing the team to return to the second tier after only two years.