In the centre back role, several people are still available. The summer transfer window is in full swing, but some players who left their clubs at the end of last season, are still yet to find a new home. Could the Championship be their next destination?
Craig Dawson
Something of a cult hero in the Premier League, ‘Ballon Dawson’ is currently still a free agent. When Dawson signed for West Ham on loan from Watford in October 2020, not much was made of the addition. 87 appearances later, the Englishman left the London Stadium as one of the most beloved players in the Hammers’ recent history. Wanting to move further North, Dawson would join Wolverhampton Wanderers, where he would play 61 times, before departing at the end of last season.
Earlier in the window he was linked with several Championship clubs, most heavily Birmingham City and Wrexham.
However, Birmingham have already signed Eiran Cashin and Phil Neumann in the centre back role. Meanwhile Wrexham have signed a veteran centre back of their own in the form of Connor Coady, making both moves now unlikely. Dawson was linked with a swap deal involving Coady back in the January transfer window which would have seen Dawson join Leicester City and Coady return to his beloved Wolves. However, this never materialised and given the change of manager at Leicester since then, any potential of Dawson heading to the King Power Stadium seems very low. Finally, Derby County have also been linked with a move for the 35-year-old, but they also have signed two new centre backs of their own.
Kortney Hause
Speaking of players who used to play for Wolves and Watford, Kortney Hause departed Aston Villa at the end of his contract earlier this year. Hause spent 6 years at Villa Park but only made 55 appearances in that time, with injuries really hampering his career. The 29-year-old has missed 131 games since his most recent injury in the 2022/23 season. If Hause is able to put his injury troubles behind him, there is no reason why he can’t reignite his career.
Ben Mee
Another veteran released by a Premier League side at the end of last season, Ben Mee is still yet to find himself a new club. Following 11 years at Burnley, Mee signed for Brentford following the Clarets’ relegation in 2022. He would go on to make 67 appearances for the Bees and is now searching for his next club. Sheffield Wednesday have reportedly been offered the chance to sign the centre half and given all of the issues that the club face at the moment, I think that they could do a lot worse.
Liam Cooper
Sheffield Wednesday have also reportedly been offered the chance to sign former Leeds United captain Liam Cooper. The Scotsman left Elland Road after 10 years with the club, upon the expiry of his contract, making a surprising move to CSKA Sofia in Bulgaria. However, despite having only been there less than a year and captaining them in the first two league games of the season, Cooper has departed. CSKA say his deal was terminated by mutual agreement. Similarly to Mee, I think that Cooper would be a solid choice for The Owls.
Cooper does have two years on Mee as he is 33 and Mee is 35. But Cooper spent last season playing in Bulgaria, whilst Mee was playing in the Premier League. Although Mee only made 7 Premier League appearances last season, 11 in all competitions, whilst Cooper played 25 times. Both players have vast experience in the Championship which would certainly benefit the young squad that Sheffield Wednesday have been left with.
