Sheffield Wednesday return 'a possibility' for Barry Bannan after Millwall's Championship play-off heartbreak
A fresh claim regarding a potential Sheffield Wednesday return for Milllwall midfielder Barry Bannan
A return to Sheffield Wednesday is reportedly a possibility for Millwall midfielder Barry Bannan.
The 36-year-old left the Owls in January, bringing the curtain down on over a decade at Hillsborough to join Millwall’s promotion push.
He penned an 18-month deal with the Lions, determined to spend the final months of the campaign charging towards the Premier League.
Bannan helped Millwall finish third in the Championship table but could not prevent Alex Neil’s men suffering a 2-0 play-off semi-final loss to Hull City.
Barry Bannan latest
The possibility of a return to South Yorkshire has previously been mooted and The Star have suggested it could materialise.
Bannan is said to open to the idea of a move back to Wednesday, who signed him from Crystal Palace back in 2015.
He is under contract in the capital until the summer of 2027 and the Owls are not thought to have made a final decision on whether to make a move.
It has been claimed there has been a certain level of expectation in the Wednesday dressing room regarding a return for Bannan, although it hardly seems like a formality. Bannan has made 16 appearances for Millwall and featured against Wednesday at Hillsborough in February, helping the visitors secure a 2-1 win.
Henrik Pedersen’s appreciation of Barry Bannan
Prior to Bannan’s January exit, Owls boss Henrik Pedersen said: “Barry wants to leave, although I don’t want to lose him. I can’t say where he will be going at the moment, but we will miss him because he is a real club legend and a great leader as well as a top player.
“The reaction of both sets of supporters said everything about how he is regarded and it was very emotional. He is a special player and a special human being, who gives without taking.”
Barry Bannan’s Millwall move
When Bannan’s departure was confirmed, a Wednesday spokesperson said: “Millwall made an approach for Barry and, with a heavy heart, he has decided it is an offer that he must accept and gives him the chance to fight for promotion to the Premier League.
“Given the club’s current position in administration, the administrators are unable to give the assurances that Barry was understandably seeking. Equally, the preferred bidder was unable to make any binding commitments to Barry until the regulatory process, which remains ongoing, is completed and ownership formally changes.
“Barry leaves Sheffield Wednesday as one of the club’s modern greats, an inspirational leader on both sides of the white line. Through promotion pushes, relegation battles and periods of extreme difficulty, his commitment, professionalism and passion for Sheffield Wednesday have never wavered.
“He departs with the deepest respect and gratitude of everyone at Hillsborough, and we all hope he returns to Sheffield Wednesday in some capacity in the future.”
Wednesday have since been taken over by Arise Capital Partners, who pulled the club out of administration earlier this month.