Championship giants Sheffield Wednesday are suffering financial turmoil this summer, and the latest development is yet another blow for the Owls.
Sheffield Wednesday, under the ownership of Dejphon Chansiri, have dominated Championship headlines throughout the summer for all the wrong reasons.
The Owls’ ongoing financial crisis has seen several high-profile players exit Hillsborough this summer, with Josh Windass and Michael Smith terminating their contracts, and Calum Patterson joining MK Dons, to name just three.
As well as the playing squad, EFL Analysis broke the news that head coach Danny Rohl would be leaving Sheffield Wednesday this summer, which the Owls confirmed this week after it took almost two weeks to come to a severance agreement.
In the wake of Rohl’s exit, another sickening blow has been landed on Sheffield Wednesday, in a development that could see Owls players refuse to play.
Photo by Scott Llewellyn | MI News/NurPhoto via Getty ImagesSheffield Wednesday tell players they will not be paid on time for July wages
Two Sheffield Wednesday embargoes were lifted this month after it was reported that Sheffield Wednesday paid some players and staff on July 14, which prevented those who remained unpaid from walking away from their club contracts.
The Owls also settled money owed to HMRC, which leaves only the embargo of ‘Regulation 52.2.3 (Non-payment of transfer fees)’ hanging over Sheffield Wednesday on the EFL website’s current embargoes section.
Some Owls players and staff went unpaid in March, May and June. Now, those fears of players walking out of their contracts and refusing to play for the Owls have resurfaced, with Wednesday reportedly “informing them that they will not be paid on time for their July wages.”
BBC Sport reporter Andy Giddings revealed on X: “Per sources, we understand communication has been made to Sheffield Wednesday players informing them that they will not be paid on time for their July wages.
Per sources, we understand communication has been made to Sheffield Wednesday players informing them that they will not be paid on time for their July wages.
We believe there is a possibility they could refuse to play as a consequence. 1/2 #swfc | @footballheaven
— Andy Giddings (@SportGids1) July 30, 2025
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“We believe there is a possibility they could refuse to play as a consequence.
“Wages for March, May and June were previously not paid on time.”
Sheffield Wednesday supporters will be hoping that Chansiri finally sells the club after months of takeover speculation, before it is too late.
Photo by George Wood/Getty ImagesWhat is the latest news on a Sheffield Wednesday takeover?
Amid the ongoing financial crisis at Hillsborough, three bidders have been trying to buy Sheffield Wednesday.
Chansiri has set an ‘unrealistic’ price tag for the Owls, leading a potential takeover to drag on. At the same time, players have not been paid for the fourth month so far this year.
With the latest development regarding the Owls squad ahead of the 2025/26 Championship campaign, relegation is on the cards for Wednesday.
In a desperate attempt to aid the situation at one of English football’s most historic clubs, Sheffield MPs wrote to Chansiri to offer a helping hand, to which he reportedly replied: “What has it got to do with you?”.
Under his ownership, one of the most iconic football clubs in the EFL are on the brink of collapse, and a continuation of the summer exodus.