Sheffield Wednesday has had a horrible season, and it appears that things may only get worse in the last weeks of the January transfer window.

Wednesday’s squad was decimated during their summer of chaos under former owner Dejphon Chansiri, so staying in the Championship this season was always going to be a challenge, but that task was made impossible when they were deducted 12 points for going into administration in October, as well as a further six-point deduction for multiple late wage payments in December.

The Owls’ winless streak extended to 21 games, a new club record, after they were defeated 2-0 by Birmingham City at Hillsborough on Tuesday night, leaving them bottom of the table with minus seven points.

If the results on the pitch aren’t bad enough for the long-suffering Wednesday fans, it’s believed the club’s administrators are looking to sell players before the end of the window to raise funds, with Pierce Charles, Max Lowe, Yisa Alao, Charlie McNeill, and Bailey Cadamarteri among those linked with a move away this month.

While the Owls would be disappointed to lose any of those players, their main concern in the remaining phases of the transfer window will be the potential departure of long-serving captain Barry Bannan.

Millwall ready to launch a move for Sheffield Wednesday skipper Barry Bannan, while Stoke City and Preston North End surround.

Bannan joined Wednesday on a free transfer from Crystal Palace in the summer of 2015, and it is fair to say he has become a club legend at Hillsborough over the last decade.

The 36-year-old has 37 goals and 75 assists in 476 games for the Owls, but as talk over his future grows, it appears his time with the club may be coming to an end.

It was first revealed last week that Bannan may leave Wednesday this month, with Championship clubs Millwall, Stoke City, and Preston North End interested, as well as Motherwell and another unknown Scottish Premiership side.

Millwall appear to be ratcheting up their interest in Bannan, with journalist Alan Nixon stating on Monday that the Lions have made an approach for the Scot and may be willing to hand him an 18-month deal if he joins The Den.

Bannan applauded all four sides of Hillsborough after being substituted in the defeat to Birmingham on Tuesday night, which many saw as an emotional farewell. Manager Henrik Pedersen did little to quell rumors of his impending exit after the match.Barry had some minor issues. I took him out, and I hope Barry stays. We communicate every day, and of course, we discuss his and our respective situations. Lets see what happens. “I hope he stays here,” Pedersen told The Star.

Barry Bannan must make a difficult Sheffield Wednesday decision amid Millwall and Stoke City interest.

There is no doubt that Bannan has been an exceptionally faithful servant to Wednesday throughout the years, remaining with the club in situations where many other players would have departed.

Bannan has had numerous opportunities to leave Hillsborough, most notably when Brentford made an offer for him in the summer of 2020, but despite the Bees competing for promotion to the Premier League and the Owls facing relegation to League One, he declined a move to the Gtech Community Stadium.

The midfielder stayed with Wednesday for two seasons in the third tier and led them back to the Championship, but perhaps his most impressive display of dedication came in the summer, when he signed a new contract while the club was collapsing under Chansiri, accepting significantly reduced wages of around £7,000 per week.

Bannan has already indicated his intention to stay with the Owls for the rest of his career, but with increasing attention from abroad, it appears that his departure is a real possibility before the conclusion of the window, and he should make the painful decision to terminate his time in S6.

With Millwall, Stoke, and Preston all vying for a play-off spot, a move to any of the three would give Bannan one last chance at Championship success while also providing him with a proper platform to showcase his talent and force his way into Scotland’s World Cup squad, which he is said to still hope to make.

That may be a short-term view, but Bannan may be concerned about his long-term future at Hillsborough, with Wednesday still in administration and the EFL still to accept James Bord’s consortium’s proposed takeover.

Even if Bord is given the go-ahead to complete the transaction, his disastrous stint as a recruitment advisor for Sheffield United raises serious concerns about whether he is the right owner to lead the Owls forward, and Bannan will not want to spend the last few years of his career languishing in League One.

Bannan has formed a close bond with Wednesday over his time at the club, so leaving would be a difficult decision, but with more appealing possibilities available, it may be time for him to begin a new chapter.