Sheffield Wednesday look to be powering ahead with transfers ahead of the next Championship campaign, in order to make the squad stronger and to avoid another relegation dogfight plaguing them for the majority of the season.
Danny Rohl's men will also hope there's not a whole host of outgoings from South Yorkshire, with Will Vaulks' future up in the air and no confirmation yet on Josh Windass penning a new deal, but the Owls will know they can keep their heads above water no matter what happens after a miraculous escape was managed.
Looking likely to be signing ex-Southampton defender Yan Valery, who Rohl will know from his time in the backroom staff at the Saints, he could well be joined by another defensive upgrade very soon, if reports are correct, with the Owls stealing a top talent from their close neighbours in Rotherham United in the process if a deal is finalised.
Sheffield Wednesday looking at ex-Manchester City defender
According to Football Insider, Wednesday will battle it out with fellow second-tier sides Queens Park Rangers, Millwall and Swansea for the signature of Millers centre-back Cameron Humphreys this summer, with the ex-Manchester City man eyeing up a move after his side's bottom-of-the-table finish last season.
With Valery also expected to come in through the door, as reports from L'Equipe suggest that the current Angers man has agreed terms with the Owls, it could well be a new-look defence at Hillsborough ahead of a promising next campaign, that could make Wednesday even more resilient at the back.
How Valery and Humphreys could fit in at Wednesday
The Owls have also had great success buying from the New York Stadium in the past, with current centre-back Michael Ihiewke shining in patches this season a former Miller alongside the likes of Vaulks and Michael Smith, but Humphreys could well even end up stealing the 31-year-old's spot off him.
Likewise, Valery could displace the likes of Pol Valentin in South Yorkshire if he is signed, who had become Rohl's starting right-back during their fight against the drop, forming a potentially golden relationship with the in-demand Humphreys consequently, as Rohl and Co look to show they mean business in the transfer department.
Both rumoured faces could be seen as upgrades on what the Owls already have at their disposal, especially when glancing at Humphreys, who would offer the second-tier side a younger and calmer operator of the ball from the back who is more daring than Ihiewke.
Humphreys betters his Wednesday counterpart when it comes to progressive carries over the last year per 90 mins, according to FBRef, alongside beating his tackles average, which is impressive considering Rotherham's basement finish.
Stat per 90 mins
Humphreys
Ihiewke
Passes attempted
33.55
39.63
Pass completion %
78.8%
78.9%
Progressive passes
2.09
1.26
Progressive carries
0.40
0.09
Successful take-ons
0.18
0.00
Tackles
0.89
0.65
Interceptions
1.42
1.12
Blocks
1.15
1.31
Stats by FBRef
Beating the 31-year-old in many different aspects of their defensive games the time could be right for the old guard of Ihiewke to step down, to allow a new recruit like Humphries to take over.
The same could be said for Valery as well, with the 25-year-old once tipped for greatness at Southampton as a forward-thinking full-back, having hammered home a memorable strike at Old Trafford during his spell on the South Coast.
Amassing 53 appearances in total for Southampton before moving on, his time with Angers has thrust him back into the spotlight, with five assists managed from 35 league games for his Ligue 2 employers this campaign just gone.
He could offer fierce competition to the likes of Liam Palmer as well as Valentin on his potential arrival, therefore, as Wednesday look to fill the squad with quality, to try and push on after a great end to the last dramatic season.
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