Sheffield Wednesday isn’t playing around when it comes to bringing in players for Hillsborough; Yan Valery and Max Lowe are two recent rapid acquisitions who have greatly strengthened the defensive.
Given his prior commitment to the Blades, Lowe’s decision to enter the building was somewhat contentious, but the Owls will welcome the addition of fresh players to bolster the team, particularly as other defenders’ futures are still uncertain.
With a new deal still to be agreed upon, Danny Rohl may soon bid farewell to Dominic Iorfa from his back four. Di’Shon Bernard, who also plays in the middle of defence, has a contract that is about to expire.
It could be hurtful for Iorfa to leave South Yorkshire permanently, since the 29-year-old performed well for the struggling Championship team last year.
Despite only making 30 appearances in all competitions, the former Wolverhampton Wanderers defender wasn’t always the first name on the roster, but he was still a warrior for the Owls during their hard days near the bottom of the league.
However, Rohl took a particular interest in the 29-year-old towards the end of the season, starting the former England U21 international in four of his team’s final six second-tier contests. Iorfa showed his manager’s faith with strong performances.
Looking at the table above, it is evident that the formidable number six for Wednesday really stood out in his team’s penultimate match of the 46-game schedule. He shut out West Bromwich Albion with an incredible ten clearances recorded and eleven duels won, setting up the Owls for an incredible 3-0 victory.
It would be unfortunate for Rohl and company to lose such a fighter ahead of the 24/25 season, especially if games become as tight and important to win at the bottom of the division once more. Rohl and company won 5.3 duels on average per game over the entire campaign.
