Sheffield Wednesday are another step further from being able to make much-needed additions to their squad after they were placed under a fresh pair of EFL registration embargoes.
After spiralling financial problems saw the club lose the bulk of its frontline squad throughout a horror summer, the Owls have been unable to bring new players in to the squad for several months outside of exceptional circumstances due to ongoing EFL restrictions that will only be lifted once Dejphon Chansiri can prove his ability to fund the club going forward.
A transfer fee restriction has been placed on the club and is in place until the summer of 2027, meaning the club are prohibited from the completion of any fee deals. Hull City are operating under similar terms but have been allowed to sign free agents - an option not currently available to the Owls until Chansiri is able to offer the EFL’s independent Club Financial Reporting Unit the requisite assurances.
Liam Cooper is currently without a club after leaving CSKA Sofia.placeholder image
Liam Cooper is currently without a club after leaving CSKA Sofia. | Getty Images
In recent weeks manager Henrik Pedersen has spoken with hope over ongoing updates from the EFL with regard to hopes of much-needed additions. As was the case throughout the summer, the recruitment wheels have remained in motion and The Star understands that a deal for former Leeds United captain Liam Cooper was lined up and ready to go if and when Chansiri was able to satisfy the requests of the EFL’s CFRU.
But with the club now placed under embargo there is another layer of headache. Outside a window clubs under embargo can only sign free agents when they have fewer than 16 ‘permitted players ‘ - players with three or more league starts at a club’s current level or higher over the course of his career. Wednesday already have 16 of them on their books.
The embargoes Wednesday have been slapped with are in response to breaches of Regulation 16.21.8 - Future Financial Information and P&S Rule 2.10.3 - Secure Funding.
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