Delays in completing Sheffield Wednesday’s takeover could have serious consequences for the club during the January transfer window, despite James Bord now being confirmed as the preferred buyer.
Rooted to the bottom of the Championship and facing an increasingly bleak relegation outlook, Wednesday supporters had hoped 2026 would bring an improvement on a turbulent 2025.
The club entered administration on 24 October, yet it took around two months for a preferred bidder to be identified. That prolonged process now risks impacting January plans, with uncertainty hanging over the club’s financial position.
A consortium led by former professional poker player James Bord — who has previously been involved with Sheffield United — has been selected as the preferred bidder. However, there is now pressure to finalise the takeover quickly.
While many had hoped a swift sale would allow some rebuilding in the winter window, the opposite may occur if funds are not secured to see out the season. In that scenario, Sheffield Wednesday could be forced to sell players, with highly-rated young goalkeeper Pierce Charles among those linked with a possible exit from Hillsborough.
Pierce Charles’ contract situation
At just 20 years old, Charles is one of the club’s lower earners. Capology estimates his wage at around £1,500 per week, significantly below that of senior figures in the squad. Club captain Barry Bannan is reportedly the highest earner on approximately £25,000 per week.
Capology also states that Charles’ contract runs until the end of the 2026–27 season, making him a valuable long-term asset for the club. His relatively low wage has been beneficial for Wednesday, particularly during a period when the club struggled to pay players and staff on time under outgoing owner Dejphon Chansiri.
The potential sale of Charles would be a major blow, especially given the club’s recent financial instability.
Goalkeeping concerns heading into January
Journalist Alan Nixon reported that Sheffield Wednesday may be forced to cash in on prized assets such as Charles if the takeover is not completed quickly. Administrators Begbies Traynor confirmed in mid-November that wages for November and December could be covered, helped by an anonymous £1 million loan from a supporter and increased revenue following the end of a fan spending boycott.
However, Nixon claimed that January represents the club’s only significant remaining income opportunity to fund the rest of the season. With the funds used for recent wage payments now exhausted, further money will need to be raised, potentially through player sales.
Charles is regarded as one of the most promising young goalkeepers at the club, making him difficult to replace.
He missed much of the early part of the season after suffering a shoulder injury in August, which forced Wednesday to seek EFL approval for an emergency loan.
That led to Ethan Horvath joining from Cardiff City, though his return would leave the club facing another goalkeeping issue if Charles were sold.
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