George Byers next as Darren Moore continues Sheffield Wednesday rebuild

Swansea City midfielder George Byers is thought to be close to joining after Bailey Peacock-Farrell and Lewis Wing arrived on loan this week.

Jaden Brown, Dennis Adeniran, Jack Hunt and loanee Olamide Shodipo have already joined, although the Owls have not taken up the option to sign Sylvester Jasper or Tariq Uwakwe after trials.

And Moore says he has “three or four” candidates in mind to replace coach Paul Williams, who left for personal reasons last week. He is hopeful of having a new man in for the start of the season, which in League One terms begins at Charlton Athletic a week on Saturday.

Byers began his career at Watford but he has spent most of it at Swansea. He has League One experience having spent the second half of last season on loan at Portsmouth.

Peacock-Farrell’s arrival on loan from Burnley has seen fellow goalkeeper Cameron Dawson temporarily move to Exeter City, and he may not be the last.

“The younger players have done extremely well for us in pre-season,” said Moore.

“They’ve been with us for five or six weeks, and I think for some of them it’d be good to get some loan experience for their development.”

Players like Alex Hunt and Liam Waldock could be amongst those moved on as Moore reshapes his squad for League One.

Hunt made his debut as an 18-year-old in the League Cup but has only managed three league starts in as many years since.

Fellow midfielder Liam Waldock’s only senior appearance came in an under-strength League Cup team at Fulham last season. He turns 21 next month.

Dawson, now 26, played the first of 65 senior games for the Owls five years ago but neither he nor fellow youth product Joe Wildsmith have been able to make the goalkeeper’s spot their own, which is why Moore has turned to former Leeds United, Middlesbrough and York City goalkeeper Peacock-Farrell.

Town’s Matt Daly is on trial at Rotherham United with a view to a possible season-long loan.

Daly made his full Championship debut at Cardiff in December, but his only other league appearances last season were four from the bench, including one at Rotherham. Fulham right-back Marlon Fossey is also on trial at the New York Stadium.

Sheffield United’s final pre-season friendly, at home to Norwich City on Saturday, is expected to go ahead despite the latter calling off last night’s game at Chesterfield as a precaution after “a small number of positive Covid-19 test results within City’s first-team group.”