Sheffield Wednesday given potential boost as decision made on Birmingham City and Stoke City-linked forward

Former Sheffield Wednesday forward Ike Ugbo has been left out of Troyes’ pre-season squad, potentially suggesting his days at the club are numbered.

The 25-year-old spent last season away from his parent club, first joining Cardiff City on loan before helping to keep Wednesday in the Championship. His exploits at Hillsborough drew a lot of attention, with a number of clubs now thought to be keen on his signature.

Troyes, meanwhile, were initially relegated to the third tier of French football before being reinstated in Ligue 2 due to AC Ajaccio’s financial troubles. Despite their reprieve, Ugbo appears destined for pastures new.

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Sheffield Wednesday are said to be keen on having Ike Ugbo back at Hillsborough. Image: Ben Roberts Photo/Getty ImagesSheffield Wednesday are said to be keen on having Ike Ugbo back at Hillsborough. Image: Ben Roberts Photo/Getty Images
Sheffield Wednesday are said to be keen on having Ike Ugbo back at Hillsborough. Image: Ben Roberts Photo/Getty Images

Stoke City and Birmingham City have both been linked with the forward, who scored seven goals in 19 appearances for Wednesday last term. The Star have claimed the Owls have seen an initial bid knocked back.

While the Hillsborough faithful would love to see Ugbo back in S6, they have been kept busy with a flurry of new signing announcements in recent weeks. The club’s most recent recruit, Nathaniel Chalobah, spoke to Ugbo before moving to South Yorkshire.

The pair played together at Chelsea and Chalobah detailed Ugbo’s influence in his first in-house interview after putting pen to paper. He said: "I spoke to Ike Ugbo, I know he’s not here, but he’s someone I’ve known from my time at Chelsea. I spoke to him and I think his reference was enough for me to be in the right frame of mind.”

Ugbo is a product of Chelsea’s academy and his first loan move away from Stamford Bridge took him to Wednesday’s South Yorkshire rivals Barnsley. He made 18 appearances for the Reds, scoring twice.

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