'£160m' - Sheffield Wednesday boss makes Leeds United transfer claim ahead of 'proper fight'

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Sheffield Wednesday boss Danny Röhl says Leeds United's £160m squad value will make for a 'proper fight' at Hillsborough on Friday night.

The Whites have lost three star players this summer thanks to exit clauses in contracts and though they have reaped financial rewards in return, Daniel Farke has ruled out the like-for-like replacement of Archie Gray, Crysencio Summerville and Georginio Rutter. Gray and Rutter made respective £40m moves to Tottenham Hotspur and Brighton and Hove Albion, while West Ham United paid £25m-plus for Summerville.

Leeds are expecting to confirm the signing of £10m winger Largie Ramazani prior to their trip down the M1, but his registration had to be complete by noon on Thursday for him to even be considered by Farke for squad selection on Friday night. In any case, the German has been consistent in favouring players who know his system, those who have taken part in training sessions and those with match fitness over new signings or even returning star players.

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Röhl is not willing to admit that this is a good time to play Leeds, though, instead suggesting they are still well equipped to give his Sheffield Wednesday side a difficult night under the lights in what is always a feverish atmosphere.

"Still a big team, a big opponent we have to face," he said. "It's a derby, this is special. Friday night, I think this will be a special atmosphere. We are ready, they are ready. Even the start was not perfect for them but the home game they had a lot of chances. They didn't win. Then I think away at West Brom a draw is always [positive]. Look to the value, this is still a squad around £160m, I think it's not bad for this league."

Röhl says he has been steeling his players, particularly those with more responsibility in the squad, for full commitment. "I think it will be a proper fight and this is what I want to see from my team, that we go there, do our things right, we have our direction, how we want to play and we're committed for 90-plus minutes to take something," he said. "This is what I demand from my experienced players, we have lots of talks on and off the pitch. This is the reason we're here, to have such challenges. It's a good start to the weekend, if we take something on Friday night then you can look to other results. But for this we have to work hard again and again and again."

Wednesday come into the game on the back of a 4-0 beating at the hands of Sunderland, a scoreline that arguably did not reflect the true story of their performance but a chastening one all the same. Röhl admits that the decisions he takes between now and full-time on Friday will be key to them bouncing back against Leeds.

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"During the week it's about preparing, especially after a defeat it's sometimes not easy because you have to look for solutions, to help your players and bring them back on the right way," he said. "We had a good training. Tomorrow we have a small session, go to the hotel, arrive in the stadium and the ref whistles and then we're on fire. I'm really looking forward. Of course I want to win but I don't put so much pressure on, I know we worked hard during the week. It's about decision making, for the starting XI and the squad. And the story of the game, you have to make new decisions. It's the key as a manager. Decision making, decision making, decision making."

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