Injury forces Sheffield Wednesday to switch transfer priorities

The 23-year-old joined Sheffield Wednesday from Norwich City in the summer but in a sign that whatever else has changed at Hillsborough this season their luck with injuries has not, he picked up a serious muscle injury less than half an hour into his debut.

“It’s a long-term thing, really,” said his manager Moore, whose team welcome Charlton Athletic in League One this afternoon. “We’re all really gutted for him because he had a good pre-season and was ready to go.

“In the opening game of the season I just wanted him to feel the magnitude of the home crowd (from the bench) but I always knew he’d get started at MK (Dons).

“For that injury to happen is just really unfortunate. I can’t really determine the time but it’ll be a lengthier one than one over weeks.

“It’s fair to say after that injury that’s a possible area where we’ll be looking. We probably felt we were okay before.”

Lewis Gibson, who filled that spot on loan from Everton last season, has just joined Bristol Rovers on loan but Harlee Dean, another who came in on loan to help out there, could be available from Birmingham City.

Moore is also looking for a striker and a goalkeeper but as with other Yorkshire managers, he is finding it a difficult market.

“We were really pleased we got Michael Smith in the summer because we know how competitive the market is for strikers at the moment,” said Moore. “Everybody wants a striker. It is the way it is.

“The truth is there are not many out there and, if there are, people are holding on to them and rightly so. It is very difficult.

“(A goalkeeper) is a possibility. We are looking.

“(Seventeen-year-old goalkeeper) Pierce (Charles) is an exceptional young talent and doing really well. We feel we have got some good youngsters at the club in him and Jack Hall. They have been very impressive.

“We do feel right now that there is a possibility we could do with strengthening that area. If anything happens to Stocky (David Stockdale) or Daws (Cameron Dawson), we would be down to one.”

The transfer window closes until the new year at 11pm on September 1.