Three senior Sheffield Wednesday players face being left in the cold as Owls once more have too big a squad at end of transfer window

Under league regulations, clubs are only allowed to register 25 senior players for the second half of the season – and the Owls have 28. Players aged under 21, such as Bailey Cadamarteri, are not counted towards the total unless – like 19-year-old goalkeeper James Beadle – they are on loan.

There is no limit on how many players clubs can have on their list during a transfer window, but they will have to be back down to 25 by the time they play Huddersfield Town on Saturday, leaving Danny Rohl with a decision to make.

Xisco Munoz had a similar problem last season and controversially chose to omit Marvin Johnson, as well as the injured Momo Diaby.

The Spaniard went further than he had to, only naming 24 players, which allowed Rohl to add Johnson to the list later, but it meant Diaby was unable to play until the transfer window opened, having recovered from injury.

The thinking behind having fewer players than permitted is that it left squad for a free agent signing. Clubs can fill spare slots at any stage.

Juan Delgado had hip surgery in October and may not play again this season but it remains to be seen if Rohl is prepared to completely write him off at this stage.

He does have a number of senior professionals who have struggled for game-time since he took over, and who he was looking to move on during the window.

Lee Gregory looks firmly out of favour, but a mooted move to Derby County never materialised.

Rohl, who often talked when he came to the club about the size of the squad, also made it plain he was open to offers for Reece James and Michael Smith.

The Owls signed Kristian Pedersen on deadline day to play in James' preferred left-back position, but were unable to get the second centre-forward, in addition to Ike Ugbo, Rohl was looking for. Smith came off the bench at half-time in their most recent game, at home to Watford.

Will Vaulks and Johnson were others heavily linked with moves away which did not materialise.

Defender Ciaran Brennan is 23 and has not played first-team football for the Owls since March 22, and was not on the last squad list. He had a month's loan at Conference side Hartlepool United in December.

With the transfer window closed, loans to non-league is the only way omitted senior players can get first-team football until the next pre-season.

As well as Pedersen, Beadle and Ugbo, the Owls loaned Ian Poveda on deadline day, with midfielders Tyreeq Bakinson and George Byers loaned out, and loans for Devis Vasquez and John Buckley cut short.

Poveda is a winger who can also play in central midfield or at centre-forward, albeit more as a "false nine" than a real targetman like Ugbo, Gregory, Smith, Ashley Fletcher or the ultra versatile Callum Paterson.

As it stands, the 28 players who must be reduced to 25 are: James Beadle, Cameron Dawson; Di'Shon Bernard, Ciaran Brennan, Dominic Iorfa, Akin Famewo, Bambo Diaby, Michael Ihiekwe, Kristian Pedersen, Reece James, Pol Valentín, Liam Palmer; Barry Bannan, Juan Delgado, Momo Diaby, Jeff Hendrick, Marvin Johnson, Callum Paterson, Ian Poveda, Will Vaulks; Ashley Fletcher, Lee Gregory, Djeidi Gassama, Anthony Musaba, Mallik Wilks, Michael Smith, Ike Ugbo, Josh Windass.