Ex-Leeds United man could be solution to Sheffield Wednesday's Ian Poveda problem

The Owls have undergone a turnaround in fortunes since Danny Rohl came in as manager, although even the five wins they've picked up in their last six games have not been enough to extracate them from the relegation zone, so bad was their start to the season.

Poveda, on loan from Leeds for the second half of the campaign, has been key for Wednesday of late playing either as a number 10 or on the right of a front three. Game time was not forthcoming for the ex-Manchester City winger at Elland Road, due to the form of, and Daniel Farke’s preference for, Crysencio Summerville, Daniel James, Willy Gnonto and Jaidon Anthony, so a January exit made sense for Poveda. He appears to have found a home at Sheffield Wednesday, where there has already been talk of a possible permanent switch in the summer transfer window when his Leeds contract runs out. Fans have taken to his pace, trickery and ability to drive the Owls up the pitch in the blink of an eye. But because of the terms of a loan deal that he and his camp preferred, over the permanent transfer Leeds initially pushed, he will not be eligible to face his parent club at Hillsborough on Friday night, which is a blow for both player and his temporary employers.

"Poveda has been a breath of fresh air for Wednesday, bringing a style of play some Owls fans are daring to compare to that of modern icon Fernando Forestieri," said Alex Miller of the Sheffield Star. "A tally of one assist in his seven appearances doesn't convey the impact he's had. His ability to take them up the pitch and beat defenders was sorely missing from the first half of the season - Danny Rohl spoke about needing to find a player with x-factor in January and he has certainly provided that. Together with goal scorer Ike Ugbo they've changed the entire outlook of Wednesday's survival scrap. He'll be a huge miss. Rohl has already outlined a desire to sign Poveda on a free transfer in the summer and it's not difficult to see why."

Poveda may not have finished any of Wednesday's last six games but he has started all of them, so Rohl will have to bring someone in from the relative cold to take his place. According to Miller it's not that easy to work out exactly who that will be.

"The natural slot-in for Poveda would be West Yorkshire native Josh Windass, though the match will likely come too soon for his recovery from injury," Miller told the YEP. "The only other option close to a like-for-like would be to bring in ex-Leeds lad Mallik Wilks, though that seems unlikely given how little he's been used of late. It means there'll probably be a degree of switcheroo in how Wednesday go about it, with Barry Bannan perhaps pushed slightly further forward in a midfield three and Anthony Musaba and Djeidi Gassama flanking Ike Ugbo."