Sam Hutchinson is expected to leave Sheffield Wednesday this summer after being exiled from the first-team and being out of contract in a matter of weeks.
The 30-year-old hasn’t featured for the Owls since mid-January and Garry Monk recently admitted to Yorkshire Live that he doesn’t plan to bring Hutchinson back when the season resumes, so his future looks made up.
He said: “I have to make decisions on what I feel moving forward and for the best of the club. I have to make decisions that not everybody agrees with or likes, and that’s part of my job.
“I try and do that not just for the here and now, but for the future of the club, and for how we need to evolve this squad. Sam is part of that situation, but I’ve had clear chats with Sam, he understands where he is. I’ve had clear discussions with him like I have done with all the players.”
Hutchinson is coming to the end of a six-year stay at Hillsborough. He’s made 154 appearances in all competitions, scoring six goals and making four assists. The 30-year-old was a regular for the first half of this season, making 24 appearances, but was promptly dropped in the New Year and never made the matchday squad again.
Hutchinson could be followed out of the exit door by Kieran Lee. The 31-year-old is soon-to-be out of contract and may be another casualty as Monk wants to lower the average age and trim the wage bill.
Offloading Hutchinson (£1.04m-a-year/£20k-a-week) and Lee (£0.96m-a-year/£18k-a-week) would save Wednesday £2m over 12 months, so these culls may be a business decision. Financial Fair Play charges have been levelled at Wednesday for Dejphon Chansiri’s overspending, so releasing two of the Owls’ highest-earners is a step in the right direction.
