The Sheffield Wednesday midfielder is now set to leave as a free agent this summer

The 35-year-old helped fire the Owls to promotion from League One but has fallen out of favor with Danny Rohl since his arrival at Hillsborough in October.

There are other players who are out of contract and there is a lot of uncertainty, it seems, about who stays and who goes.

Reports suggested that Barry Bannan and Josh Windass had a couple of new contracts this summer, although Windass recently suggested that many of the players are waiting to see what happens with Rohl this summer.

Rohl is also in contract talks with Sheffield Wednesday owner Dejphon Chansiri, and if he commits his long-term future to the club, so can many of the players.

But journalist Joe Crann has now confirmed another exit player for the Owls this summer.

George Byers is set to leave Sheffield Wednesday

Crann has now revealed to X that Sheffield Wednesday midfielder George Byers will leave the club on a free agent this summer.

It is an unfortunate end to his time in South Yorkshire; he scored six and assisted three more in the 2022/23 promotion-winning Sheffield Wednesday season, becoming a fan favorite for his technical and energetic performances.

And he played regularly under Rohl, although Sheffield Wednesday then made the confusing decision to send him on loan to Blackpool during the January transfer window.

Byers has since gone on to do well with the Seasiders, making 16 League One appearances and notching one assist, but earning plaudits for several of his performances.

Crann says “a queue is building” for Byers ahead of the summer, with “interest in England and overseas” as well as interest from some of Sheffield Wednesday’s rivals.

Sheffield Wednesday should release George Byers

Sheffield Wednesday need to be more ruthless if they are to build for the long term. But still, releasing Byers, who is a proven and useful championship player, seems like a rash decision.

He has shown in the past for Swansea City that he can compete at this level and with midfield options light, Byers’ release will leave Sheffield Wednesday needing a number of new midfielders.

With Byers, he just doesn’t seem to fit the style of play under Rohl. He was often the first player brought out in games, and maybe the high-tempo style just didn’t suit him, or at least not in Rohl’s eyes anyway.

However, letting Byers go opens up a space in the squad and a space on the wage bill for Rohl to bring in someone he feels will better complement his style of play, and so it’s not all bad for Sheffield Wednesday.

Nor for Byers who looks like he won’t be without a club for very long, and rightly so; he is a very good player and at 27, he still has a lot of eyes on him.

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