Charlie McNeill's loan spell at Crewe Alexandra will be reviewed by Sheffield Wednesday in January. The 23-year-old forward has made 11 appearances for Crewe since his August move, but only two of them have been starts.

McNeill started successive games against Walsall and York City in August but has since been used as a substitute in Crewe's last four fixtures. Crewe manager Lee Bell said the player is "disappointed" not to be playing more at the moment.

Manager and sporting director confirm January evaluation

Sheffield Wednesday manager Henrik Pedersen and sporting director Simon Wilson have both confirmed the January review date was part of the original loan agreement. Wilson said at the time of the move that Crewe were acquiring a player with an elite youth goalscoring record and that the situation would be assessed in the new year.

Pedersen told reporters this week that McNeill still has a future at Hillsborough. "Charlie has to go there with full power now into Christmas, and then we'll evaluate what's happened," the Owls boss said. "He's going there to grow for the defensive thing, for him as a person, him as a player."

When asked directly if McNeill has a future at Wednesday, Pedersen replied, "Yeah, why not?"

McNeill's background and recent involvement

Before his loan, McNeill scored six goals in 50 appearances over two seasons for Sheffield Wednesday. At Crewe, he has provided an assist in a Carabao Cup tie against Barnsley. The decision to loan him out was made after the club took another look at him during pre-season.

Sheffield Wednesday's strong start to the League One season, which sees them fourth with 14 points from seven games, provides context for any potential mid-season squad decisions. The club's next fixture is a home match against Charlton Athletic.

McNeill's loan agreement with Crewe Alexandra includes the scheduled January review. The club's current form and position in the standings mean any evaluation of McNeill's progress will be measured against the squad's needs as they push for promotion.

First reported at thestar.co.uk