Barry Bannan transfer latest: Will Sheffield Wednesday star play against Bristol City amid Millwall exit links
Barry Bannan faces an uncertain future at Sheffield Wednesday but will he be involved against Bristol City this weekend?
Promotion hopefuls Bristol City face basement side Sheffield Wednesday in the Championship this weekend and are the hot favourites to secure all three points against an Owls team that look destined for the drop with -7 points on the board due to a points deduction and just one win from 27 matches all season.
Sheffield Wednesday have had an awful time this season, with the only real positive being the prospect of a potential takeover in the near future after Dejphon Chansiri’s 10-year ownership came to an end.
In an attempt to finish the season with some pride, the South Yorkshire outfit added Manchester City prospect Jaden Heskey and QPR goalkeeper Murphy Cooper to the group in January along with earlier free agents recruits such as Nathan Redmond and Liam Cooper.
But the main man this season in terms of goals and assists has remained long-serving captain Barry Bannan with three goals and as many assists.
However, the Scottish international, who took a sizable wage cut to remain at crisis-stricken S6 outfit last summer faces an uncertain future amid reports of a potential transfer to Millwall which could give him an opportunity to potentially play in the Premier League again next season.
The Owls icon appeared to be emotional and spent time saluting all four stands at Hillsborough when leaving the pitch late on in his side’s midweek defeat to Birmingham City on Tuesday evening. But will he play at the weekend against the Robins or has his future already been decided?
Will Bannan play against Bristol City at the weekend?
According to the Sheffield Star, Bannan is expected to feature in Sheffield Wednesday’s trip to Bristol City this weekend.
That news comes as a huge boost to the basement side but comes as an unwanted update for Bristol City, who are in desperate need of three points to boost their promotion hopes, and could have benefited from facing Wednesday without one of their most talented players.
Bannan has a solid record against the Robins registering three goals and three assists in the 16 matches he’s played against them. He’s been on the winning side six times, drawn six and only been beaten on four occasions over the course of his career.
Speaking to the media ahead of the trip to Bristol this weekend, Pedersen said: “I am speaking with Barry every day and we all know that he loves Sheffield Wednesday. I can only say what I say to him, that I hope he will stay. Let’s see what happens at the next stage, but of course I hope he will stay.
“Of course it is difficult. I know he would love to stay, but it is a very difficult situation. I respect every single player in the squad and I have a big, big respect for Barry.”
The Cider Army recorded a 3-0 victory in South Yorkshire during the reverse fixture in September after an own goal from Harry Amass and subsequent strikes from Emil Riis and Anis Mehmeti in the first half.
Bristol City are aiming to do the double over the Owls for just the third time in their history, with the most recent coming in 2007/08. Wednesday are on a club-record 21-match streak without a league victory heading into this contest.