The Ross McCormack bidMany Wednesday fans will have woken up on Sunday hungover and immediately checked their social media accounts to make sure they didn’t post a drunken status or send an alcohol influenced tweet. What they will have found is various people discussing a bid by The Owls for a certain Ross McCormack of Fulham for 10 million pounds, even Sky Sports News reported it and I for one find it all a tad strange, here’s why.

Not for one second do I doubt McCormack’s ability as a footballer. His record at Cardiff was good, 30 goals and 8 assists in 88 games. He was even better at Leeds, 58 goals and 31 assists in 157 games. On the back of that return Fulham paid a reported 11 million pounds to secure his services in an effort to make an immediate return to the Premier League. The Scot has hit 22 goals and 11 assists in 58 outings for The Cottagers so far and is seemingly once again delivering the goods but did Sheffield Wednesday really make the rumoured offer?

Kenwyne Jones was heavily linked with a move to S6 not so long back before the whole Gary Hooper rigmarole. Both of those deals financially are some distance off the reported 10 million tabled for McCormack. Why the sudden change in transfer direction? From going to wanting to pay comparatively little in the way of fees to then be willing to spend BIG? Also, it suggests to me that both Jones and Hooper were/are seen as better fits. Realistically those I previously mentioned could be signed with plenty of change left over.

It’s also slightly puzzling that Watford’s Fernando Forestieri signed on Saturday and he is of a similar sort to Ross McCormack. They both have a low centre of gravity and like to run with the ball but pose little in the way of an aerial threat. If Carlos Carvalhal is to persist with one striker leading the line surely it needs to be somebody with a physical presence that is recruited? Kenwyne fits the bill perfectly and is considerably a better prospect financially. It’s the common consensus that Wednesday ultimately need a 20 goal a season man but all of those in the attacking third will be expected to chip in and instead of relying on one man to fire the club towards the Promised Land it could be more of a team effort?

Around two weeks ago Fulham and McCormack agreed on a contract extension which will have included, more than likely, a wage rise. Surely the sensible approach would have been for Wednesday to bid earlier in the window to acquire the Glasgow born attacker? Although at times in modern day football contracts appear nugatory with every player evidently being available for a price.

The lack of a response from Fulham is also a factor for me. There has been no official line from Craven Cottage in regards to “the bid.” Surely, if a rival team submitted a genuine offer for one of their key men, they would issue a hands off warning to try and prevent further proposals from The Owls or indeed any other possible suitors?

To sum up:

Considerable change in transfer direction by looking to spend big at this late stage.

IF Dejphon Chansiri was willing to throw that sort of money about why weren’t they in for players such as Andre Gray and why didn’t they bid for Ross McCormack sooner?

There has been no official line from Fulham about the bid. Kenwyne Jones and then Gary Hooper were priorities by the looks of

things. So are they seen as better fits? Forestieri and McCormack have similar abilities. Both better as

“second strikers” or the “number 10.” McCormack signed a new deal at Fulham recently. Gary Hooper could be brought in permanently for at least 4 million

less. Kenwyne could be signed for less than Hooper. Both could be signed with change from 10 million.

By the looks of things there seems to be a willingness to persist with a big, physical striker leading the line. Jones is ideal for that role.