Blackpool close in on Wednesday defender as rivals block striker move
Sheffield Wednesday are staring down another transfer blow after their League One rivals rejected another bid for striker Josh Windass, while Blackpool are in advanced talks to sign defender Madison Ballou from Wednesday’s ranks.
The Owls are drowning in a Championship relegation fight-24th with 0 points from 46 games-and the latest transfer saga only piles on the pressure. Ballou, a 24-year-old right-back, has been one of the few consistent performers in a backline that has conceded 89 goals and trails Coventry by 95 points.
Why Wednesday’s rivals keep saying no to Windass
League One clubs have now twice knocked back offers for Windass, a 28-year-old striker with 11 goals this season. Wednesday’s valuation-rumoured around £2.5 million-appears too rich for rivals, who are playing hardball on fees.
Wednesday’s slide shows no sign of stopping: five straight defeats, capped by a 0-3 loss at West Brom on 11 July 2026, have left fans furious. The next test-a home date with Bolton on 8 August-could be another gut-punch for manager Danny Schofield, whose side has managed just two wins all season.
Ballou’s exit would leave a gaping hole
Ballou has started 12 of the last 15 games, part of a defence that has shipped more goals than any other in the Championship. Letting him go would strip Wednesday of one of their few reliable defenders, especially with only 29 goals scored all season-the lowest in the top two tiers.
Schofield now faces a brutal choice: sell Ballou to ease the wage bill or stand firm and risk another defensive meltdown. Either way, Wednesday’s transfer window is shaping up as a grim fight for survival rather than a chance to rebuild.
