There was always expected to be a number of departures this summer as contracts and loans expired, and now the club has announced the full list of players that will remain on the books for next season.

Dominic Iorfa, who has played 222 times for the Owls, is the big news of the day, with the centre back set to leave Hillsborough at the end of June.

Much of the news confirmed today has previously been reported by The Wednesday Word, but now we have it straight from the horse’s mouth.

A statement read:

Sheffield Wednesday can confirm the club’s retained list with the 2025/26 season complete.

Dominic Iorfa will leave Hillsborough after seven years’ service. Iorfa signed for the Owls in January 2019 and made 222 appearances in blue and white, scoring seven goals from the back along the way.

Talks remain ongoing with Max Lowe, while Mackenzie Maltby and Gui Siqueira will be invited back to pre-season training with a view to potentially extending their S6 stays.

Options have been exercised

Club options have been exercised on the contracts of George Brown, Joe Emery, Svante Ingelsson, Cole McGhee, Denny Oliver, Liam Palmer, Logan Stretch and Ernie Weaver.

We can confirm that Jamal Lowe triggered an automatic contract extension earlier in the season.

The Owls have offered new contracts to Liam Cooper, Bruno Fernandes, Reece Johnson, Devlan Moses, Jack Phillips and Jarvis Thornton.

Nathaniel Chalobah, Harry Evers, Dominic Iorfa, Junior Kamwa, Marvelous Nakamba, Favour Onukwuli, Rio Shipston and Zain Silcott-Duberry fall out of contract and will depart Hillsborough.

Loanees Tayo Adaramola, Murphy Cooper, Jaden Heskey, Joel Ndala and Jerry Yates have returned to their respective parent clubs.

We offer our sincere thanks to all the players leaving Wednesday and wish them the very best for the future.

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Many fans have avoided buying season tickets at S6 over recent years due to rising costs or simply because they were reticent to put any money into Dejphon Chansiri’s pocket, but will now be able to get back to the stadium as a new era begins.

Wednesday confirmed details surrounding renewals for fans today, announcing 10% reductions for fans looking to renew for next season… The cheapest renewal price for a full price adult is on the Kop at £415 (£440 new), with the South Stand being £570 (£600 new).

A key factor that has formed part of the news is the fact that any supporter who has had a season ticket in any of the last five seasons will be able to renew at the new price – not only those who were present for the 2025/26 campaign.

It means that supporters who had a ST in 2021/22, 2022/23, 2023/24, 2024/25 or the most recent season will be able to utilise the 10% renewal, with the club acknowledging seemingly acknowledging the reasons why they may not have renewed in that period.

Benefits for young Owls fans

They’ve also moved to change the age bands, making it more affordable for young Wednesdayites to make the trip to S6 for all the home games. The U11 age group now becomes U14, U17 now becomes U18, and U21 becomes U22… The U14s will be able to get a season ticket for £23 – which means just one pound for game for them.

Meanwhile, nothing will change for fans who bought multi-year tickets before, with those – as expected - being honoured by the new ownership.

It’s also been pointed out that there will be simpler pricing phases, with fans being given a month to renew at the current cost rather than being given constant deadlines as per the previous regime. They have until June 15^th. More information is expected in due course for those fans who are buying new season tickets rather than renewing.

Another bit of good news for fans is the fact that there is a new way to pay that will mean that they can make five payments of 20% of the cost of their ticket rather than all of it up front. There will be no admin fees, no interest charged, and no credit check prior to purchase. It’s an element that the new owners hope will make it more affordable for supporters, and help them in their drive to get as many people back at Hillsborough as possible.

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The 30-year-old centre back will see his contract at Hillsborough expire in a few weeks’ time at the end of June, and as things stand he’s played his last game for the club. It could be fitting that last game of the 2025/26 season ended with him wearing the captain’s armband.

Iorfa has played over 220 times for Wednesday since joining the club from Wolverhampton Wanderers, and was a key player in the promotion season of 2022/23 when the Owls returned to the Championship under Darren Moore.

In terms of games played, the defender had his most productive season in years as he featured in 34 matches under Henrik Pedersen, and he played more league minutes than any other campaign barring his first full one at Hillsborough back in 2019/20.

Dominic Iorfa could be on the move

Just like so many of his teammates, question marks remain regarding his future as the new owners take stock of the situation following relegation to League One, and The Wednesday Word understands that Iorfa is another who has developed interest further up the pyramid.

Wednesday have plenty of decisions to make in the coming weeks, with options to be considered and a retained list expected in the not-so-distant future. At this current point in time the club wouldn’t be able to put together a starting XI of experienced players with who is under contract come July 1^st.

Iorfa, who won the club’s 2019/20 Player of the Season award, is unlikely to be short of options if it is decided that his seven-year stay in South Yorkshire is to come to an end, there will be some fantastic memories both for him and those that chanted his name.

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This month marks 10 years since Wednesday got within touching distance of the Premier League at Wembley, and many of the heroes of that season will return to Hillsborough on Saturday to play under Carlos Carvalhal once again.

Kick off is set for 2pm, with turnstiles opening up at 12.30pm, and kiosks will be open so that fans can buy refreshments during the game. If you fancy heading along you can use the link here, or pay on the day over at S6.

All profits raised will go directly to fantastic local charities: Weston Park Cancer Charity and the Sheffield Wednesday FC Community Programme, and a fun day out is expected as popular figures from the Carvalhal era return to Hillsborough once again.

Sheffield Wednesday returning favourites

Those expected to turn out for Wednesday include Keiren Westwood, Glenn Loovens, Tom Lees, Daniel Pudil, Liam Palmer, Jack Hunt, Sam Hutchinson, Kieran Lee, Ross Wallace, Sam Winnall, Jordan Rhodes, Lee Bullen, Giles Coke, Graham Coughlan and JP McGovern.

The team will have Carvalhal as manager, with Bruno Lage and Joao Mario coming along as his assistants. The other side - which will be made up of supporters and SWFC stakeholders – will be managed by Owls great, Mel Sterland.

Get yourself down to S6 and help raise money for an incredibly good cause - it should be a cracking afternoon to reminisce about a fantastic time in the club’s recent history.

Cooper, who is out of contract in July, has made a strong impression at Hillsborough since his arrival, and while his appearances on the field have been limited he has established himself as an excellent leadership figure in the squad.

The Wednesday Word has previously spoken of the club’s desire to see him stick around next season, and now he’s spoken himself about how the feeling is mutual.

‘Coops’ attended a charity padel tournament on Tuesday night dubbed the ‘Yorkshire Classico’ that was set up by Owls coach, Pete Shuttleworth, to raise money for Weston Park Cancer Charity, and he discussed how much he enjoyed being at Hillsborough for the club’s rebirth at the weekend.

“It was amazing,” he told TWW. “Honestly, I felt it. I was fortunate enough to drive down there with my wife and kids, and you could feel it in the build-up - even before the game. I think football has a funny way of showing it true colours sometimes, and it felt aligned to get the win and send the fans home happy after such an amazing day after announcing a fresh start and zero points… It’s unbelievable, and you could feel that buzz.

Why Liam Cooper wants to stay

“Hopefully the boys can take that into next season, and I can be a part of that. We’ll see on that, it’s in the club’s hands as we speak. There are amazing people at the club, amazing support, and it resonates really well with myself in terms of how I see life and football, so hopefully I can be a part of things next year. We’ll leave that to those in power, but I’ll do everything I can do be here.”

And do days like Saturday increase his desire to stay?

“Definitely, for sure,” he replied. “That’s a football club. It’s a true football club, one of the biggest in the country, steeped in history and heritage, and you want to be part of big clubs. That’s certainly how I feel right now.”

The event, in which Cooper represented Leeds United, is believed to have raised thousands of pounds for Weston Park, with Sheffield United ultimately being crowned as the champions at Club De Padel in Neepsend.

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Chalobah, who opened the scoring at Hillsborough on Saturday afternoon, has had a difficult time at S6 on the injury front, but has regularly showcased his quality when he has been fit and available.

The 31-year-old will see his contract with the club expire at the end of June, and while there has been a bit of talk recently about a possible contract extension, it appears that he’s on his way out.

Nathaniel Chalobah’s goodbye

Taking to Instagram on Monday afternoon, Chalobah said, “As my time at Sheffield Wednesday comes to an end, I just want to say a massive thank you to everyone associated with the club. To all the people that came out every single week home and away to support the boys, just shows the passion and love you all have for the club.

”To my guys in the changing room. Dark times from the start but we kept each other going through crazy times, character, resilience, fight but most of all empathy through circumstances we hopefully never have to go through again. I just wished I was there more to go through it with you all. To the staff that were able to keep everyone level event though times were tough for you too, thank you for your care.

”From my family and I (especially my kids who are now die-hard Wednesday fans) THANK YOU. 💙💙💙”

Chalobah’s announcement follows confirmation that Rio Shipston will be moving on come July, and many more departures are expected as a new dawn begins at Hillsborough under new ownership.

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David Storch stood in middle of the pitch, blue and white Jordans on his feet and with tears welling up in his eyes as chants of ‘USA! USA! USA!’ rained down upon him. The proof will be in the pudding with regards to his ownership of this once great football club alongside Michael Storch and Tom Costin, but Arise couldn’t have gotten off to a better start.

Goals from Nathaniel Chalobah and stalwart, Liam Palmer, secured victory, and made sure that Henrik Pedersen’s battered and bruised boys wouldn’t become the first team in the history of English football to finish on zero points. But football wasn’t very important on Saturday.

A big Hillsborough afternoon

This stadium has seen some big days over the years. In recent memory there’s Wycombe Wanderers for promotion, the Miracle against Peterborough, as well as Arsenal and Huddersfield under the lights. They were all ‘I was there’ moments, and this weekend another was added to the list.

If you looked around the ground during Storch’s introduction, you’d have seen tears all over the place. Grown men sobbing as they sang. ‘We’ve got our Wednesday back’. On the field was David Hirst, forgoing his son’s promotion party at Ipswich Town – in which he scored – to be part of the celebrations at the club where he’s still worshipped to this day.

Howard Wilkinson was there, too, as was Carlton Palmer and Michael Vaughan and so many others who’d so often been made to feel unwelcome by the previous regime. Clive Betts MP, a man who has fought so hard for his football club, was name-checked by the new man in charge, as well as James Silverwood of the Supporters’ Trust and Owls mad Creative Artists Agency executive, Asher Simons. Deserved recognition for the role played in this battle.

Lost in the noise of it all, possibly, was the relaunch of a new and improved Owl. Robert Walker’s classic from 1973 is back, but has been tweaked by Sheffield brand agency, Peter & Paul. In line with Arise’s plans to work with local companies, P&P were brought on board to help with the re-brand – and they won’t be the last local business to benefit from this new dawn. Those owed by the last owner will get their 25p on the pound, too.

Storch, speaking shortly after his arrival at Hillsborough, was heard discussing how ‘actions speak louder than words’. His words have been fantastic, and his first actions haven’t been too shabby either. But he’s made clear that he wants to be judged on what he does, not on what he says, and is putting together a background team that he feels can do that. David Bruce, the new CEO, is at the forefront of it – and comes with an impressive CV.

As the players took to the field for the final time, surrounded by their friends of family, Storch and Co watched it from the stands. They could’ve gone down, nobody would’ve minded – but instead they let those who’ve slogged their guts out for the last 10 months get their flowers and, for some of them, say their goodbyes. Arise had had their moment earlier, stepping away felt like a classy move.

In the director’s box an elderly gentleman – maybe in his late 80s or early 90s - approached the club’s new owner, and grasped the American’s arms tight, with both hands. From above you could tell that he was thanking him, and all I could think about was how that supporter had almost seen his football club disappear after watching them for the best part of a century. I had to walk away, crying on the job isn’t ideal.

It’s been suggested that Arise want to be criticised, they want to know when they’re doing wrong – and how they can improve. The fans, they say, will be at the heart of what they’re doing. The word ‘Reborn’ adorned the big screen as fans finally filtered out of S6, inflatables in hand, and as the club’s 160th anniversary approaches it’s unlikely to be the last we see of it.

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TWW reported last month that the 21-year-old would be moving on when his current contract came to an end, and now the player himself has announced his departure from Middlewood Road.

“After 14 years, my time at Sheffield Wednesday is over,” he said in a short post on Instagram. “I would like to thank all the staff and players over the years, and I wish you all the best.”

Rio Shipston moves on

The young midfielder, who has spent plenty of time in and around the first team setup, has made a total of 13 appearances for his boyhood club, and last season turned some heads in the League of Ireland with some strong displays whilst out on loan with Cork City.

The likes of Barry Bannan, Shea Charles and Josh Windass were among those who wished him all the best following his confirmation, with fellow academy graduates, Pierce Charles, Will Grainger and Bailey Cadamarteri also sending messages of support.

Shipston will now be looking to find himself a new club as soon as possible as he moves on to pastures new in the summer, and no doubt Wednesdayites will be hoping that one of their own goes on to big things away from the club that raised him.

Nathaniel Chalobah and Liam Palmer scored the goals for the home side, with Karlan Grant finding the net for the visitors, and victory ensured that Wednesday would avoid becoming the first team in English football history to finish on minus points.

The day was so much bigger than the football, however, with David Storch and his Arise consortium announcing their takeover of the club ahead of kick-off, as well as the fact that next season would begin without a points deduction.

Here’s some of what the two men in charge had to say after the game:

Henrik Pedersen

“The atmosphere was amazing and I am so proud today,” he told the media. “I am emotional because I know how much the players, staff and fans have invested for the club this season.

“To get that first home win on the final game of the season in front of a sold-out Hillsborough means so much more than just a win. Usually it would be crazy to be happy to end up on zero points but I am really happy, it means a lot for us because it shows that we never give up.

“David is a really good man. He has only been the owner of the club for 24 hours but I am so happy he has shown so much heart for this club already. This has been an awful situation. It has been the most difficult situation in English football history maybe ever and we got this win today to say thank you to the fans.”

James Morrison

“I talked about it in my pre-match,” he said, speaking to The Wednesday Word. “This is a special football club with a great history, and we knew what the atmosphere was going to be like. We knew we needed to deal with that, we needed our football to do the talking and we couldn’t get that out today.

“But with what this club has been through, and to see that reaction, they deserved it today… It’s always loud here, it’s a great atmosphere – probably one of the best in the division. It’s a great fanbase who have had a lot of hurt this season, and they deserved that today.”

Nathaniel Chalobah and Liam Palmer got the goals on what will go down in history as a famous afternoon at S6, with Karlan Grant getting the consolation goal as the Owls avoided going a full season without winning on home soil.

Henrik Pedersen, who made no secret of his plans to enjoy a beer or two this evening, spoke of his pride after the final whistle - saying how pleased he was to see a reaction from his squad.

“To reach zero points in the bigger picture means nothing,” he told The Wednesday Word. “But it means a lot to us, because it showed our culture - that we never give up, and that we keep on fighting until the end. It makes me so proud.

“The Oxford game, maybe we needed it with a poor performance, because it tested that culture in the team. It showed that we could come back. Three weeks ago I spoke about a poor training, then we had a good training and performance. This was our last chance to have a poor game, and bounce back. We had a test to come back from Oxford and show how we wanted to be.

“It made me really proud to do this today - the atmosphere was amazing.”

Pedersen reacts points deduction news

Meanwhile, on the topic of starting next season on zero points, the Owls boss told The Star, “I met him in the tunnel, three metres in, and David told me there is no point prediction, well, it was crazy. Because we all know how much this means for the new season.

“I know how much effort they have done to get to this result. And this is something that makes me proud, and makes me happy that we have new owners. They have been owners maybe for 20 or 21 hours, but before this I didn’t have so much feeling, so much heart from the top for our club.

“It just makes me so happy that this is the fundamentals that they will conduct this football club. The lads are happy to start a season fresh, so we can be competitive in a fair way again.”

There’s a party atmosphere at Hillsborough this afternoon ahead of the clash with West Bromwich Albion, and a sell-out crowd is attending for the beginning of a new era for the Owls.

David Storch, Michael Storch and Tom Costin are all in attendance after finalising the deal, as is the incoming new Chief Executive Officer, David Bruce.

Over 33,000 people have descended into S6 for the clash, and there was a huge roar as the new owners took to the field ahead of kick off. News of a starting League One without a points deduction is massive.

Zero point Owls

A joint statement was released not long afterwards, reading:

Completion of Sale to Arise Capital Partners LLC

The Joint Administrators of Sheffield Wednesday Football Club Limited are pleased to confirm the successful completion of the sale of the Club to Arise Capital Partners LLC, a consortium led by David Storch, alongside Michael Storch and Tom Costin.

The transaction has been completed following constructive engagement with key stakeholders, including the English Football League (EFL), and in accordance with all relevant regulatory requirements.

As part of this process, the EFL Board exercised its discretion, as provided by the Insolvency Policy, and concluded that it would not be appropriate to impose a 15-point deduction on the Club following its exit from Administration. As such, the Club will begin the upcoming season on 0 points. A position has also been agreed on wage and transfer parameters that is both acceptable and supportive of the Club’s forward progress.

The sale secures the long-term future of the Club and marks the beginning of a new era for Sheffield Wednesday - one built on stability, responsibility, and renewed belief.

Throughout this turbulent period in the Club’s history, staff and players have shown unwavering professionalism and pride. Supporters - through uncertainty and frustration -have shown they are amongst the most loyal in the land.

The Joint Administrators will now work closely with the new ownership group to ensure a smooth transition into this next phase. Further updates will follow in due course

.

David Storch’s first words

Meanwhile, David Storch - on behalf of Arise Capital Partners LLC - said, “Ever since we attended the match against Norwich City at Hillsborough on 5 November and saw the excitement and enthusiasm from the fans, we’ve been hooked. From the very beginning, this has been about more than an acquisition. It has been about responsibility - to the Club, to its history, and most importantly to its supporters.

“Sheffield Wednesday deserves stability, ambition and a clear direction. That is what we are here to deliver.

“We know trust must be earned. We are humbled by the opportunity, we take this seriously as stewards of this incredible club - we will approach this with humility, transparency, and a long-term commitment to doing things the right way.

“I would like to thank the EFL for their constructive engagement in reaching this resolution. This has been a complex journey, and their willingness to work with us to secure a fair and sustainable position has been vital.

“I would also like to acknowledge the administrators at BTG, whose expertise, diligence, and steady guidance have been instrumental in navigating this highly challenging situation.

“In addition, I want to recognise the outstanding work of my team, whose dedication, professionalism, and belief in the potential of this football club have been central to achieving this result.

“I would like to pay tribute to the hard work and support of the Sheffield Wednesday Supporters’ Trust and local Members of Parliament, whose engagement and advocacy have been so important throughout this process.

“To our supporters: thank you for your incredible passion and loyalty. It was a privilege to share this moment with many of you at Hillsborough, and we look forward to continuing this journey together.

“I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the entire staff at Hillsborough and Middlewood Road for their hard work and dedication during the most challenging of times.

“The circumstances they have endured are unprecedented but their professionalism and loyalty shown throughout must be and is recognised.

“Today, this Club is reborn - and we look forward with determination to the work that lies ahead.”

Kris Wigfield: ‘You have never wavered…’

Kris Wigfield, Joint Administrator, went on to add, “This has been one of the most challenging and important processes we have ever undertaken. From day one, our objective was clear - to protect this football club and to secure its future.

“Sheffield Wednesday is not just a business. It is a club with deep roots, history and a community that cares passionately about it. We have felt that responsibility every single day.

“We are proud to have achieved a transaction that not only delivers for creditors but gives the Club a real opportunity to move forward with stability and purpose.

“We need to remember that, as part of this process, people and businesses have lost money that affects their livelihoods. I would like to thank them for their sacrifice, and I hope the payments that this transaction delivers helps them move forward.

“In getting to know David over the course of this transaction, I am assured the Club has gained a custodian befitting its stature and tradition.

“To the supporters, staff and players - thank you. Your resilience and loyalty have carried the Club through this period. You have never wavered.”

Three of the trialists aren’t new, with Joel Martin, Evan Boulter and Fortune Onoh having all played earlier in the week during the 1-0 defeat to Peterborough United, but they weren’t the only ones…

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