The market closed at 11pm on Tuesday, leaving head coach Henrik Pedersen with a clear picture of the squad he will take into the remainder of 2026. Seventeen new faces have already come through the door - soon to be 18 once David Keillor-Dunn’s loan move is finalised - with 12 arriving on permanent deals. It represents a significant rebuild and gives Wednesday far greater depth across the pitch.
The club’s financial restrictions, imposed by the EFL following their exit from administration in May, have shaped much of the summer. Even so, Wednesday paid fees for Jordi Liongola, Sil Swinkels and Louie Barry - all players with strong age profiles and room to grow.
Did Pedersen get everything he wanted this summer? Not quite. Wednesday missed out on attacking targets such as Jamie Vardy, Kyreece Lisbie and Tommy O’Reilly.
And while Pedersen would dearly have loved to have kept hold of Pierce Charles and Svante Ingelsson, their departures were inevitable after relegation. Both had admirers and their sales made financial sense.
A number of fringe players have moved on and several youngsters have gone out on loan to aid their development. With the dust now settling on a hectic summer at Hillsborough, The Wednesday Word has taken a closer look at the big winners and losers from the transfer window.
