Garry Monk admitted that Sheffield Wednesday’s financial woes may be the reason why Morgan Fox and Steven Fletcher haven’t signed a new deal, as per the Yorkshire Post.
The Owls have been in talks with Fox and Fletcher for months without making much progress and Monk believes the dwindling finances from the Covid-19 pandemic has contributed.
He said: “I have already said that I want them here and the club wants them here. But circumstances have changed and clubs are realising that and players have to realise that as well.
“It is not like before and the financial side of it has changed at football clubs. That needed to change at the club anyway and we have already spoken about it. We needed to bring that wage bill down and condense, but (Covid-19) has probably emphasised this even more.”
The Owls put a deal on the table for Fox since January but aren’t going to match his £0.42m-a-year/£8k-a-week salary. The 26-year-old’s had interest from Derby County, Middlesbrough and West Bromwich Albion, so he may get a better deal elsewhere.
Fletcher is one of the highest-earners on £1.56m-a-year/£30k-a-week, so he’ll have to agree a lesser deal in order to stay. Talks have been ongoing since February but little progress has been made.
Wednesday have already agreed deals with lower-earning players like Matt Penney, Osaze Urhoghide and Joey Pelupessy and want to axe those eating up most of the budget.
Dejphon Chansiri’s overspending already limited Monk to free transfers and loan players, but a reduction to their revenue in recent months places extra emphasis on the need to cut costs.
