Sheffield Wednesday eyeing swoop for ex-Portsmouth loanee amid summer interest in Colby Bishop
Sheffield Wednesday are turning their attention away from Colby Bishop and are instead eyeing a move for a former Pompey loanee.
Sheffield Wednesday appear to have moved on from Colby Bishop in their striker search this summer.
And the Owls have since identified a former Fratton Park loanee as their next top transfer target as they prepare for life back in League One.
Our sister paper, The Star, claimed in June that Wednesday were eyeing a move for Bishop, who endured a tough campaign at Fratton Park last term.
Sheffield Wednesday turn to ex-Pompey loanee in striker search
The American business stated at the end of July that although player sales can be reinvested across the wider football operation at Hillsborough, including player wages, they do not increase the transfer fee budget - something which has already been agreed with the EFL.
This means significant transfer outlays are unlikely to take place at Hillsborough this summer, casting further doubt over any swoop for Bishop.
Instead, Wednesday are turning the loan mark and have reportedly set their sights on former Blues loanee Mark O’Mahony.
According to respected Sheffield Wednesday journalist and Wednesday Word writer Joe Crann, the Brighton attacker is of interest to Pedersen’s side this summer.
The 21-year-old is looking for a fresh start in the window after another injury-hit campaign on loan away from the Amex Stadium.
Following his struggles with Pompey in the Championship which saw him score three goals in 13 appearances, O’Mahony made the drop to League One, joining Reading on a season-long agreement 12 months ago.
However, the Irishman’s stint at the Select Car Leasing Stadium was once again marred by fitness and availability issues.
The Seagulls youth product netted two goals in 21 outings in all competitions for the Royals before a knee injury forced the premature end to his stay.
But, Sheffield Wednesday are now set to give the Brighton attacker a second bite at the cherry in League One, with the Owls reportedly eyeing a temporary deal for the Irishman.
Mark O’Mahony’s Pompey stay
O’Mahony arrived at Fratton Park in August 2024, representing his first loan venture away from Brighton.
However, injury and fitness issues restricted the striker to just 13 outings in all competitions, which included a fourth-month lay-off with a side strain setback in October 2024.
He told The News: ‘When you strip everything back for Mark, it has been an incredibly successful loan for him personally.
‘He’s had the highs of coming in and scoring against Oxford, against Stoke, at Oxford again. The highs of starting games at Championship level and performing really well.
‘Then he’s had the lows of picking up the injury against Swansea and another away on international duty. He’s probably had the lows of not being in the squad towards the back end of the season as well, not quite hitting the levels that he’d hit earlier in the year.
‘As a first loan he’s had everything and that’s really important. He has made a contribution to us staying in the league, a big contribution, he’s started plenty of games, he’s come off the bench in plenty of games, he absolutely would have wanted to have played more.
‘I think he has gone back to Brighton a much better player, so it has been a really successful loan for him.
‘A first loan can be incredibly difficult. The environment players come out of at Premier League 2 level is very, very different to what they are faced with in the Championship - and there's nothing you can really do to try to replicate that.
‘To make that adjustment is big and first loans often fall flat on their face, some players are sent back in January, but Mark definitely wasn’t one of those.’