Sheffield Wednesday send Millwall and Stoke City clue over Barry Bannan transfer

Millwall and Stoke City have both been credited with transfer interest in Sheffield Wednesday veteran Barry Bannan this month with rumours of a potential exit from Hillsborough hotting up.

The midfielder is already 36 years old but remains one of the Championship’s most consistent performers. Bannan has already racked up 2,366 minutes in the league this season.

That kind of reliability in minutes is something that Alex Neil has not had from his injury-plagued midfielders at Millwall. The Lions are said to have enquired about Bannan’s availability with a ‘nominal fee’ expected to be enough for a transfer.

Barry Bannan given ‘emotional goodbye’ by Sheffield Wednesday fans

The player, who has been at Hillsborough since 2015, is out of contract at the end of this season. Bannan played 89 minutes against Birmingham City in front of a home crowd on Tuesday night, being taken off with moments left of the 2-0 defeat.

Bannan was applauded from all four corners of the stadium in what The Star believes could be ‘interpreted as an emotional goodbye’ - a potential transfer clue to Millwall and Stoke City. Championship rivals Preston North End have also been credited with interest.

Owls boss Henrik Pedersen was asked if that substitution could mark the end of Bannan’s career at Sheffield Wednesday. He replied: “Barry had some little problems. I took him out and I hope Barry will stay, of course I hope. We speak every day and of course we speak about his situation, our situation. Let’s see what happens. I hope he will stay here.”

The Owls brace for transfer interest in club captain

Sheffield Wednesday are in a difficult position after well-publicised financial battles. The Owls are now without a win in their last 21 matches, Birmingham City scoring their two goals in the final 10 minutes.

The club have little fighting power to resist transfer bids that come in and, speaking after the match, Pedersen said: “The last meeting we had before we left the training ground, I told the boys how proud I am in the situation. There is a lot of thought in the head of the players, some players don’t know what happens for themselves, they don’t know what is happening for the club. How they come in every day to training, sometimes they need a little push, but they work good every day and in more or less all the games.

“When you have a question in your head, we all know the best performance is when you are in the moment. But the skills the players have together, to put all this to the side, it’s amazing. But they are very well trained in this - there has been a lot! I have big respect for the boys. It is not normal what they are doing, it is great.”

In other news, Millwall and Charlton Athletic battle for £1m Championship striker as QPR star on transfer list - round-up.