If Sheffield Wednesday break the bank and make yet another signing this summer transfer window, the number of incomings through the door at Hillsborough will rise to double digits.
Wednesday's ninth capture of the busy transfer window saw Nathaniel Chalobah enter the building on a free transfer, as the Owls look to add strength in depth all over the pitch, ahead of what many in South Yorkshire will be anticipating as a positive season to come.
Away from signing the former West Bromwich Albion midfielder, however, Wednesday are setting their sights on more new recruits up top, with one target even formerly playing alongside Chalobah at youth level.
Wednesday looking at ex Chelsea striker
Football journalist Mike McGrath is now reporting that the Owls have fielded a bid for Ike Ugbo to return on a permanent basis, but other clubs are also noted to be having a look at the 25-year-old forward.
McGrath states that there is interest from other second-tier sides and even from the Premier League, but Chalobah signing on the dotted in South Yorkshire could spur Ugbo into wanting to rejoin his former loan employers even more.
Chalobah revealed after signing for Wednesday that the current Troyes man was in conversation with the 29-year-old about the potential switch and could have played a role in the former Watford midfielder choosing Hillsborough as his next onward destination.
What Ugbo would offer Wednesday
Playing a pivotal part in Wednesday unbelievably surviving the drop last season away from chatting with Chalobah, Ugbo's apparent glowing words about the club to Chalobah surely means he'd be revelling in the idea of a reunion soon, particularly if the Owls are on the up and not looking at another campaign stuck in the relegation mire.
The former Chelsea youngster would end up netting seven goals from 19 games when loaned out to Wednesday last season, popping up with crucial strikes along the way, to help make Danny Rohl's dream of keeping the Owls afloat a reality.
The South Yorkshire titans are arguably crying out for more reinforcements up top as well, owing to the fact the experienced Lee Gregory was released this summer, alongside the youthfulness of the other options available to Rohl in Bailey Cadamarteri who is only 19 years of age and new recruit McNeill who is just 20.
Ugbo
271
84
Cadamarteri
30
7
McNeill
119
53
Michael Smith
539
148
With Michael Smith also actively on the lookout for a new club to call his own after failing to move away in January, Ugbo's added firepower – summarised above – will be very much needed if he does move back to England.
Ugbo's 11 goals last season in Championship action, with four strikes coming his way when on the books at Cardiff City earlier in the campaign, came about from just 9.88 xG being accumulated, with the 25-year-old only needing an average of 19.5 touches per game too in order leave his lasting mark.
The £15.5k-per-week striker – as per Capology – certainly lived up to his billing from football journalist Ben Steiner in 2022 of being a "threat", starring in front of goal for the Owls with Ugbo knocking on the door of a starting spot in the Canada international side.
Whilst Ugbo would offer more goals, Chalobah would also allow Wednesday to forget about the absence of Will Vaulks in the middle of the park, with the pair looking forward to potentially playing alongside each other again, after they both began their football educations at Stamford Bridge.
Chalobah could be the man who ensures Ugbo sees more of the ball in attack. It's unlikely given the former's position on the pitch that they'd be playing too many combinations but his ability to break up the play could put Wednesday and Ugbo on their way to earning more chances in front of goal.
If he did return, it really would be another cherry on the top of the Wednesday cake, as excitement builds in the air as to what the Owls could be capable of next season if everything goes according to plan.
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