Sheffield Wednesday, Derby County’s Championship opponents, are apparently willing to let defender Michael Ihiekwe leave the club this month, claiming he wants a new challenge.
The centre-back has struggled to establish himself in the first squad under manager Danny Rohl and is reportedly considering leaving Hillsborough owing to a lack of playing time.
Ihiekwe was a firm favourite of Derby County manager Paul Warne when he was in charge of Rotherham United, and he was a vital figure in the Millers’ promotion victory.
The 32-year-old has reportedly had interest from teams at the bottom of the Championship and at the top of League One as he considers his future move.
He has only made six appearances for the Owls this season, four of which have been in the league, and has not played in the Championship since September.
The centre-back initially joined the Owls on a free transfer in 2022, alongside former Millers teammate Michael Smith. The pair helped Wednesday achieve promotion to the Championship by defeating Barnsley in the 2022/23 play-off final.
However, while Smith has been an important player for Wednesday this season, Ihiekwe has not been able to push his way into Wednesday’s lineup.
