Sheffield Wednesday: EFL hits cash-strapped club with fresh sanction
Financially stricken second-tier club Sheffield Wednesday have been hit with further sanctions on player recruitment over late payments, the English Football League (EFL) has said.
Sheffield Wednesday were already under a transfer embargo after they and owner Dejphon Chansiri were charged by the EFL over non-payment of player wages in March and May.
But the EFL announced today that the Championship club were now also subject to a three-window fee restriction, which prevents them from signing a player permanently or on loan where it involves any kind of fee or payment either now or in the future.
The measures cover the current window, January 2026 and next summer’ and represent another blow to the prospects of one of England’s oldest and best-supported clubs ending their 25-year exile from the Premier League.
Sheffield Wednesday also face the likelihood of losing their promising young German manager Danny Rohl, who has helped to steer them away from relegation battles and achieved a mid-table finish last season.
The club immediately indicated their intention to appeal against the fee restriction – imposed after exceeding 30 days of late payments between July 1 last year and June 30 of this year – but it will stay in place unless the appeal is upheld by an independent commission.
Owner and tuna tycoon Chansiri on hook
Another independent commission is currently considering the charges against Sheffield Wednesday and Thai tuna tycoon Chansiri for non-payment of wages.
Those non-payments led to a transfer embargo being imposed, under which Wednesday can only “staff up” to a maximum of 23 professional players. It will lift if and when those liabilities are met.
Chansiri has faced widespread calls to sell up during a decade of mismanagement since he took over at Hillsborough.
The club has endured multiple transfer embargoes for late payment of tax bills, while the owner attracted a huge backlash in 2023 by asking fans to donate £2m to settle debts and pay players.
Chansiri has reportedly asked for £350m to sell, leading local MP Clive Betts to accuse him of holding the club “hostage”, although is said to have slashed that asking price recently.