SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY’S joint administrator Kris Wigfield has called for patience from supporters as he hopes to see expressions of interest in buying the club turn into concrete offers in the next week.

Since the Championship club went into administration in late October they have received enquiries from across the world, with at least 11 parties understood to have provided proof of £50m of funds, and some having been shown around the club's facilities.

The soft deadline for bids is November 21, the Football League's deadline for marketing the club. Wigfield, Julian Pitts and Paul Stanley are controlling the process, not Dejphon Chansiri who owns the club but was forced to put it and the separately-owned Hillsborough stadium into administration when debts became unmanageable.

Such has been the interest from "serious" parties, it seems inconceivable Wigfield will not get his wish "to see concrete offers made soon".

The successful bidder must pass the Football League's "owners and director's" test designed to keep out rogue owners. A beefed-up test by English football's new regulator could even come online in time, with legislation expected to go through Parliament later this year.

Wigfield issued a statement on Friday afternoon to update supporters.

"We will hope to see concrete offers made soon as enquiries – which have been well into the double figures from across the globe – are thinned down into serious and viable bidders that can secure the long-term future of Sheffield Wednesday," it read. "It is during this period that even more patience will be required.

"On a shorter-term basis, the efforts of the fans have not only meant that employees can be paid this month, but that November and December wages can be paid on time and ahead of Christmas.

JOINT ADMINISTRATOR: Kris Wigfield (Image: Steve Ellis)

placeholder image — JOINT ADMINISTRATOR: Kris Wigfield (Image: Steve Ellis)

"This puts the club on a sounder footing going forward and comes at a time when serious bidders will be examining the finances and analysing the potential of this historic club – we all think it is very important that the fans know what a huge difference they are making."

The good news for the Owls is it appears they will not have to wait for new ownership to strengthen their squad with reports they have been given permission to sign free agents despite being under four transfer embargoes – down from the five they were under when they went into administration.

Clubs under embargo are allowed to "staff up" when absentees threaten their ability to put out a full side of senior players.

Pierce Charles, Di'Shon Bernard, Gui Siqueira, Ernie Weaver, Mackenzie Maltby, Nathaniel Chalobah, Rio Shipston, Olaf Kobacki and George Brown missed last week's game at Southampton through injury and Yan Valery and Sean Fusire could be called up by Tunisia and Zimbabwe respectively for the African Cup of Nations, which runs from December 21 to January 18.

INTEREST: Former Leeds United and Hull City centre-back Liam Cooper is a free agent (Image: Jonathan Gawthorpe)

Wednesday, who have twice had to loan goalkeepers this season so as not to have to hand out a senior debut, have 10 Championship games to play in just over six weeks before FA Cup third-round weekend in the new year.

Henrik Pedersen has been open about their interest in former Leeds United and Hull City centre-back Liam Cooper, and is also thought to be interested in former Bayer Leverkusen and Manchester United player Timothy Fosu-Mensah, who can play across the defence or in midfield.