Sheffield Wednesday star Josh Windass has an unclear future with the Owls, with a host of clubs having an interest in his signature.
According to the Daily Record’s live transfer blog, a bargain fee of £400,000 warrants his departure from Hillsborough.
The 26-year-old English attacking midfielder has played as an unnatural lone striker this season. Nevertheless, he has scored three times and assisted twice in 19 Championship appearances this campaign.
He joined the Owls on a permanent basis, from Wigan Athletic, at the beginning of September in a roughly £500,000 move.
Sheffield Wednesday’s Josh Windass Attracting New Interest From Promotion-Contenders and EPL Relegation-Battlers
Sam Allardyce Interested in Bringing Windass to West Bromwich Albion
Earlier reports suggested the Baggies are likely to make an offer for Windass in the January transfer window.
West Brom, 19th in the Premier League, have scored the second-fewest goals in the league so far.
Like all clubs interested, West Brom view Windass as a versatile attacking-midfielder – not just as the secondary striker recently-sacked Tony Pulis managed.
Allardyce’s desire to bring in more forward-thinking players is evident, with the Baggies also linked with Duncan Watmore.
Right now, West Brom are not performing at a level worthy of maintaining Premier League status.
They have gotten impressive draws, but a 5-0 defeat against Leeds United suggests no lasting progress has been made.
Signing Windass alone is not enough to turn the tide, though his cheap price and talent signals a step in the right direction.
Championship Clubs Join the Race for the Englishman
Promotion contenders Watford and AFC Bournemouth have been freshly linked with a move for Josh Windass by the Daily Record.
The former Rangers player reportedly prefers a move to the Premier League, but a move to promotion-contenders would be the next best choice.
At this pivotal junction in his career, Windass needs to consider making the climb to the top of the table.
Despite his cheap price, questions will be raised on how much playing time either club could give him. The Hornets just lost Etienne Capoue, though Windass would not be a like-for-like replacement.
Even before Capoue’s departure, whispers circulated that Vladimir Ivic’s primary target in the January transfer window was an attacking midfielder. Whether Xisco Muñoz wants the same remains unknown as of now.
The Cherries have plenty of central-midfield depth, and Windass does not fit into Jason Tindall’s frequently-fielded 4-3-3.
When Tindall deploys a 3-4-1-2, Windass’s position is catered to. Still, Bournemouth’s depth does not suggest he would receive the minutes he desires.
The Josh Windass Conundrum
The next chapter in Windass’s career remains precariously in the balance. His cheap asking price, a result of the financial struggles Sheffield Wednesday have endured, increases the suitors he has.
The Owls will use the profits to bring depth in other positions to better their chances of Championship safety.
For Windass, moves away from Hillsborough are in the cards. He will continue to consistently play if he stays in Sheffield.
But if he irks for a move away, whether it be to Bournemouth, Watford or West Brom, he will need to consider sacrificing valuable minutes.
Club hierarchies know of his quality, with his lack of consistency his biggest flaw. Nevertheless, £400,000 is a fraction of what a player of Windass’s quality should cost.
A move for him would be a bargain for any of the teams interested. Whether Windass would be a consistent starter, however, is what gives his potential transfer multiple, complex dimensions.
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