Sheffield Wednesday are actively preparing a January transfer move for Blackburn Rovers striker Yuki Ohashi as manager Dave Challinor seeks to add attacking quality to his squad for a sustained promotion push.

The club currently sits 9th in the League One standings, having taken 20 points from their opening 13 matches. Their recent form shows one win, two draws and two losses from the last five games, a run Challinor wants to improve upon.

Ohashi's profile and fit

Ohashi, a 30-year-old Japan international with two caps, is primarily valued for his pace and a relentless willingness to press defenders from the front. He has made 92 appearances for Blackburn since joining in 2024, scoring 20 goals and providing five assists. This season, however, he has found starts severely limited under Tony Mowbray, often appearing from the bench behind first-choice attackers Andri Gudjohnsen and Dapo Afolayan. He is yet to start a league match this campaign.

For Wednesday, he would provide direct competition and a different tactical option in attack. He could challenge the likes of Davis Keillor-Dunn, Mason Burstow, and current top scorer Jamal Lowe, who has five goals in ten appearances, for a starting role. Analysts believe his profile suits Challinor's preferred high-pressing system.

The promotion context

The move is seen as a key part of the effort to close the gap on the automatic promotion places. The Owls are nine points behind league leaders Huddersfield Town. Adding a player of Ohashi's profile would require a transfer fee, as he remains under contract at Ewood Park until 2027, with the club holding an option to extend for a further year until 2028.

Interest in the forward is not new. Wednesday were previously linked with Ohashi during the summer transfer window under former manager Henrik Pedersen, but a deal did not materialise. The club's stated ambition and large fanbase are seen as factors that could offer the player a pathway to more consistent playing time than he is currently experiencing at Blackburn.

The immediate focus remains on the tough next fixture at home to 5th-placed Plymouth Argyle on 14 November. That game will be closely watched as Challinor continues to assess his squad's needs ahead of the January market opening.

First reported at The72 - Football League News