QPR and Huddersfield join Sheffield Wednesday in transfer race
Uche Ikpeazu has been away from English football for a year but could be set for a return
Sheffield Wednesday’s dreadful start to their Championship campaign has all the signs of a club that are in danger of enduring a horror season in the second tier.
Preston North End claimed a 1-0 victory at Hillsborough over the weekend to leave the Owls pointless over their first three games. It marks Wednesday as the only Championship team yet to claim a point, and that was felt in S6 as boos were audible upon the full-time whistle.
Three goals in three games is a slight problem for the Owls, and more will be needed if they are to mount a push that will see them safe from relegation come the end of the season. And with that in mind, reports have linked Xisco Munoz’s men with English striker Uche Ikpeazu – though three other English clubs are also in the race.
What is the latest news on Uche Ikpeazu?
According to the Sheffield Star, a report last week suggested that Sheffield Wednesday were in discussions over a potential swoop for the striker, who recently plied his trade in the Turkish Super Lig at Konyaspor – however, there had been no updates on his future.
Xisco Munoz had supposedly looked at options to improve his front line, having so far failed to bring in a single striker on a permanent deal throughout the transfer window. However, The Star now claims that Wednesday aren’t alone in their pursuit of the London-born striker – with Wycombe, QPR and Huddersfield also embroiled in the race for his signature.
The publication further goes on to suggest that Ikpeazu is available on a free transfer after he terminated his own contract with Konyaspor after months of unpaid wages – meaning that he is free to sign for any club of his choice without a transfer fee being needed.
QPR may well be interested after he performed well for current R’s boss Gareth Ainsworth at Wycombe Wanderers in 2020/21, whilst the Chairboys are also likely to be keen on his services after his solid year at Adams Park. He then spent a year at Middlesbrough under Neil Warnock in 2021/22 – and with the veteran gaffer now managing at Huddersfield, that could also explain the Terriers’ interest.
It remains to be seen where Ikpeazu will end up, though it is believed that he prefers a move back to the UK after a torrid time both financially and on the pitch in Turkey, where he failed to score.
Would Uche Ikpeazu suit Sheffield Wednesday?
Wednesday boss Xisco Munoz has so far opted to play in a 4-2-3-1 formation, which, of course, only allows for one striker in a possession-based system. Lee Gregory has started every game so far in that role, but even in the 4-4-2 style Munoz went with in the 4-2 loss at Hull, it didn’t have the desired effect that he would’ve hoped for.
Opting for a 4-2-3-1 relies on a poacher in and around the box, which could suit Gregory and Michael Smith thanks to their top-notch finishing abilities. However, in the 4-4-2, they aren’t of the required physicality and pace to have an effect away from home – which is where Ikpeazu would come in.
You’d be more likely to see Ikpeazu link up with Josh Windass in the 4-4-2 tactic, with Ikpeazu’s naturally taller frame at 6ft 3in allowing him to hold up the ball extremely well and offer a physicality in his own area when under the cosh. In an attacking sense, Windass’ pace and daring winger-nature would see him start alongside Ikpeazu – it would be harder for teams to break Wednesday down in that regard, and they would be able to use the channels much better away from home on the counter attack.