JUST IN: After Bielsa and Leeds United disclosed that Ian Poveda, Sheffield Wednesday fans could be worried

Ian Poveda left Leeds United on transfer deadline day to sign a one-year loan with Championship underdog Sheffield Wednesday.

A two-way fight for Poveda’s services started yesterday, with Birmingham City and Wednesday contemplating a last-minute move on the day of the transfer deadline.

Even after Sunderland signed creative player Alex Pritchard, Tony Mowbray, of Birmingham was keen to add more players to his squad, according to Alan Nixon of Patreon.

Meanwhile, the Owls were reportedly showing interest as well, according to Adam Pope of BBC Leeds.

Poveda signed with Birmingham City—the coach he worked under while on loan at Blackburn Rovers in the 2021–2022 season—which would have naturally resulted in him rejoining Mowbray; rather, he chose Wednesday.

Daniel Farke made the decision to keep Poveda at Leeds this summer. Though he hasn’t played in many games under the German yet, he wasn’t a major contributor at Elland Road.

Since the 23-year-old’s four-and-a-half-year contract is scheduled to expire this summer, it is very much game over for him and the Whites. This season, the two-cap Colombian international appeared in ten games for the squad.

Although he only made two starts this season, he made 30 appearances altogether after departing Man City in January 2020 to play for Marcelo Bielsa’s club, who was vying for promotion.

The tiny forward hasn’t quite lived up to the hype; during his previous loan periods, Poveda played in the Championship for Blackburn Rovers and then Blackpool, but he didn’t exactly blow anybody away.

This month’s break between Leeds and the 23-year-old is advantageous even though he has occasionally been on the outside of Bielsa’s and Farke’s squads. It was appropriate for him to move in order to play regularly in the first team somewhere else.

Graham Smyth discloses the Poveda and Bielsa problem

The mysterious Argentine boss was the one who used Poveda the most, but Graham Smyth of the Yorkshire Evening Post has revealed something that may have hindered the winger’s progress while he was in West Yorkshire.

Given that Bielsa was a manager who valued effort and enthusiasm in both himself and his team, the possibility that Poveda wasn’t always training at full capacity may have contributed to his lack of playing time at Elland Road.

Particularly with the infamous “murder-ball” games that Bielsa would organize during training—named for their intense character but intended to increase fitness—where players would be particularly suffering toward the end of a session.

Ian Poveda joins Sheffield Wednesday

Poveda is undoubtedly an exceptional athlete. Manchester City typically doesn’t hang onto young players who lack talent for too long. Poveda played for the City academy teams for eighty-nine games.

Poveda had brief stints as a substitute against clubs such as Rotherham, when he was able to beat his man on the flank but could not muster much of an effect. His swivels and shoulder drop were impressive, but his next move was inadequate.

But he will help the squad fighting relegation if he can ultimately produce better. But, Owls fans will have to hope that Bielsa and Leeds were able to work out other issues during practice, since in the fight to stay in League One, indifference is the last thing you want.

Poveda is optimistic that this most recent loan—which expires on Wednesday—to a squad in his native Yorkshire would assist launch his career and accelerate his development. He needs to rekindle his creativity and his goals if he hopes to help Wednesday survive.