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Opinion: 21 y/o has uncertain future at Sheffield Wednesday, could leave this summer

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Fraser Preston has an uncertain future at Sheffield Wednesday after struggling for playing time this season. The 21-year-old has spent the campaign on the periphery under Garry Monk and is out of contract this summer. He’s impressed for the U23s but may be allowed to leave as he’s low down the pecking order.

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Preston joined Wednesday’s academy approximately seven years ago and has gone on to make four appearances in all competitions since rising through the youth ranks to the first-team. His last outing for the Owls came all the way back in November 2018, however, so he’s been surplus to requirements for some time.

Steven Fletcher, Fernando Forestieri, Connor Wickham, Atdhe Nuhiu, Sam Winnall and Jordan Rhodes have been preferred ahead of Preston this season. Garry Monk hasn’t given the 21-year-old a single opportunity since his appointment as manager and that doesn’t look likely to change.

Preston has been ignored by first-team coaches, but he’s impressed for the reserves this season, scoring in six u23 outings. Unfortunately, that hasn’t been enough to impress Monk.

The season has been halted prematurely due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but it’s unlikely Preston will be given a reprieve when the campaign resumes. He’s not deemed to have developed enough to make the matchday squad in 16 months, so Wednesday won’t be too sad seeing Preston leave.

The Scottish u19 international is one of many strikers out of contract this summer – Fletcher, Forestieri, Nuhiu, Winnall – so the Owls will be short on options in attack and may have to strengthen in the transfer market. Where Preston will go after leaving Wednesday remains to be seen, however.

Read Crippy Cooke’s previous article

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Sports journalist who is an avid football fan, enjoys debunking transfer rumours, loves to write pieces about players out in the cold and takes a large amount of pride getting a predicted XI 100% correct.