Owls wait to see if they have to offload any assets

As Sheffield Wednesday push for a return to the Championship, financial necessity may see them lose a player or two while Yorkshire's other clubs all look to strengthen. Ian Appleyard reports.

SHEFFIELD Wednesday manager Alan Irvine may have to sacrifice a prize asset this afternoon in order to help the club avoid administration.

With just hours to go before the Football League's emergency loan window closes at 5pm, the Owls are braced for enquiries about several players.

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Striker Marcus Tudgay and winger Jermaine Johnson were both the subject of six-figure bids in the summer that were blocked by the League One club.

But now, amid intense pressure to pay bills totalling 1.7m to Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs, the club may have to unload.

Although, technically, permanent deals are not permitted until the New Year, there is always the scope for clubs to pay sizeable 'loan fees'.

The Owls are due back in the High Court next Wednesday and, although the loss of a top player does not help the club's promotion push, they will be docked 10 points if they go into administration.

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For other clubs in the Yorkshire region, today is more likely to herald the arrival of new players rather than departures.

Barnsley manager Mark Robins has made no secret of his desire to bring in two or three players to strengthen his squad, especially at left-back where Jay McEveley, Matt Hill, and Luke Potter have all suffered injuries recently.

Sheffield United manager Gary Speed is desperate for a centreback after losing captain Chris Morgan for the season through injury and missing out on Manchester United's Richie de Laet.

Speed has only two regular centre-backs at his disposal – Nyron Nosworthy and Kyle Bartley – and knows that cover may be required during a busy December.

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Hull City need a new striker and manager Nigel Pearson was close to a deal with West Bromwich Albion for Czech international Roman Bednar last week before Leicester City moved in.

But Bednar's move to the Walkers Stadium may open the door for striker Matt Fryatt to join Hull instead.

Doncaster Rovers manager Sean O'Driscoll's biggest decision is likely to centre on the future of striker David Healy.

The Northern Ireland international has impressed during a month's loan from Sunderland but the return to fitness of 1m striker Billy Sharp could herald his departure.

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Both Leeds United and Huddersfield Town have relatively strong squads and have fielded enquiries for their players in the last few days.

Leeds allowed Aidan White and Adam Clayton out on loan but winger Andy Robinson is still surplus-to-requirements. The loan deal involving George McCartney expires this weekend, while fellow defender Andy O'Brien has seen his stay at Elland Road from Bolton extended until the New Year.

Town defender Nathan Clarke, meanwhile, rejected a loan move to Rotherham United prompting a barbed reaction from Millers manager Ronnie Moore.

Town manager Lee Clark believes his current squad is good enough to win promotion without the need for anymore signings this season.

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Clark does, however, hope to extend the loan signing of Arsenal's teenage striker Benik Afobe, who has impressed during his first month with the club.

"He is going back to Arsenal for two days and we are going to have a conversation with them to see where we go from there," said Clark.

"I want to keep him for sure. He is only 17 and what a player he is going to be."

Bradford City currently have five loan players – the maximum permitted in an 18 man match-day squad – but clubs are allowed to sign up to eight loan players, providing four of them are under the age of 23.