Sheffield Wednesday will be overjoyed at well this hero has fared since joining.
Even the most idealistic Owls fan would have found it hard to believe that Sheffield Wednesday could pull off an incredible survival feat in the Championship, thus they should be commended for their initiative in making additions during the January transfer window.
James Beadle and Ian Poveda both made an immediate impression on the Wednesday first team when they arrived that month. The Leeds United loanee gave Birmingham City a lot of trouble with an assist on his second start in his new temporary uniform.
With eight clean sheets from his 19 Wednesday outings, Beadle has made such an impression that there are already speculations circulating that Danny Rohl wants to sign the young goalkeeper from Brighton and Hove Albion to a permanent contract this summer.
Another player that Rohl will want to see retained is Ike Ugbo, who scored seven goals on Wednesday to help his loan team escape the dangerous drop zone. However, the German manager will be grateful that Anthony Musaba, another star attacker, is a Hillsborough fixture for life after starring in the crucial games that saw the South Yorkshire team miraculously avoid relegation.
The commencement of Anthony Musaba on Wednesday
Musaba wasn’t even bought until this season had begun, unlike the players on the list who had a significant influence in January, but moving to England wouldn’t be easy for the former AS Monaco player.
Under the dreadful early-season management of Xisco Munoz, the Dutch winger would struggle to establish himself as a starter, needing to wait until mid-September for his first appearance. However, with the revolutionary Rohl leading the way, he would finally burst into life in his new Championship surroundings.
The change in Musaba under Rohl
Early in Rohl’s much-discussed tenure, Musaba showed glimpses of his obvious quality with two assists against Rotherham United. However, he would save his best for December, when he registered three goals from seven games, including this dramatic last-gasp winner against Queens Park Rangers, to really get going.
as that, though, the goals continued, with Musaba emerging as a hero who will always be remembered in the Owls hall of fame for his heroics in recent weeks that kept his team afloat as they were headed for relegation under the inexperienced Munoz.
Musaba played a key role in the Owls’ dramatic victories from close games that moved them closer to their Championship survival goal. In April, he scored late to help the team defeat QPR 2-0 at Loftus Road. Later that month, he contributed two assists to help the team defeat relegation rival Blackburn Rovers 3-1 on the road.
However, after he scored against West Bromwich Albion in the penultimate match of the demanding second-tier season, reporters like Joe Crann showered the electric Dutchman with well-earned praise. He described the match as “fantastic,” winning 3-0 against Carlos Corberan’s tricky team.
Because of these enormous achievements, Wednesday’s away day against Sunderland wasn’t nearly as nerve-wracking or suspenseful as it could have been. Musaba and company triumphed 2-0 to earn a third consecutive three points and maintain their position in the Championship.
The team for next season will undoubtedly be built around talents like the breakout 23-year-old to kick on and achieve more after keeping their heads above water. If Rohl stays put, supporters at Hillsborough are worried about his immediate future in the dugout given what happened with Darren Moore.
Since entering the building as a relatively unknown prospect from France last summer, Musaba’s transfer value has naturally increased; according to Football Transfers, the intriguing attacker is now valued more than fellow Wednesday icon Barry Bannan.
The transfer value of Musaba in 2024
Based on Football Transfers’ assessment of all the heroic Wednesday soldiers, Musaba’s increased value now has a £1.2 million price tag next to his name.
Bannan, who has been a consistent player for the Owls for an incredible 402 games, has experienced a modest fall in value after contributing less to Wednesday’s victory this time around. His current net worth is £942k.
Even so, the 34-year-old never failed to deliver at the Stadium of Light, helping Liam Palmer’s 1-0 opening goal. It appears that he will soon sign a new deal to stay at Hillsborough until the day he retires.
Musaba doesn’t have to worry about his career coming to an end anytime soon because, should he excel in the Championship the next season, the 23-year-old might increase the worth of his transfer.
| Musaba’s increasing transfer value at Wednesday | |
|---|---|
| May 2024 | £1.2m |
| March 2024 | £942k |
| November 2023 | £428k |
| August 2023 | £0 |
| Sourced by Football Transfers | |
Wednesday supporters will just have to hope Rohl is convinced to stay on in South Yorkshire amidst all the interest in his services from other clubs trying to persuade him to move on, alongside the fact there could well be a summer of upheaval on the horizon with the likes of Ugbo returning to Troyes and a number of out-of-contract figures leaving.
Still, if this rollercoaster season is anything to go by, Wednesday should never be written off in moments of adversity and would be able to emerge out the other end ready to go again with Musaba the potential star man up-front.
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