Beadle was brought in on loan from Brighton & Hove Albion in January to bolster Wednesday’s struggling goalkeeping department.
Manager Xisco Muñoz initially fielded Sheffield native Cameron Dawson in goal for the team’s first Championship match of the season. However, Dawson quickly lost his spot to AC Milan loanee Devis Vásquez, who remained the preferred choice for the rest of Muñoz’s tenure until his dismissal in early October.
Dawson and Vásquez conceded a combined total of 18 goals in the opening ten Championship games of the 2023/24 season, contributing to the team’s worst-ever start to a season.
Following his January loan move, Beadle swiftly became Röhl’s preferred goalkeeper. The 19-year-old’s remarkable performance, with eight clean sheets in just 19 games, played a pivotal role in his club’s incredible turnaround to secure their Championship status.
| James Beadle EFL Championship Statistics 2023/24 (From Sofascore) | |
|---|---|
| Appearances | 19 |
| Average Rating | 6.88 |
| Clean Sheets | 8 |
The German manager now faces a dilemma as his reliable goalkeeper has returned to his parent club at the season’s end. If Wednesday fails to secure a fresh loan agreement for Beadle, the manager will need to seek a capable replacement during the summer transfer window to fill the void left by the dependable shot-stopper.
Crawley Town’s Corey Addai is a perfect option for Sheffield Wednesday
Few options could be as promising as Crawley Town’s League Two play-off final victor Corey Addai to reinforce the goalkeeping position. Standing at 6’4”, Addai featured in 39 out of 46 regular season matches for his team, boasting an impressive average match rating of 7.30, according to data from Sofascore. He not only emerged as the highest-rated player among his teammates but also clinched the title of the best-rated goalkeeper in the division.
Addai truly shone during the League Two play-off campaign, conceding just once in 270 minutes of play and securing a clean sheet in the final, leading his team to promotion to League Two for the first time despite entering the play-offs as the lowest-seeded team.
The 26-year-old exhibited remarkable skill during Crawley’s semi-final double-header against MK Dons. He showcased composure by controlling a challenging back pass near his goal line and skillfully evading an onrushing Dons player before launching the ball downfield. In the away leg, Addai thwarted Max Dean, a nominee for Young Player of the Season, from the penalty spot with an agile dive to his right.
Although Crawley announced a one-year contract extension for Addai, binding him to Broadfield Stadium until the following summer, the goalkeeper remains a viable target for Röhl’s side if Wednesday can present an enticing offer during the transfer window.
Sheffield Wednesday return looks unlikely for James Beadle
Beadle’s performances at Hillsborough Stadium have reportedly put him in first-team contention at Brighton, according to The Argus. Former manager Roberto De Zerbi described both Beadle and Swansea City loanee Carl Rushworth as “very good goalkeepers.”
He added: “Maybe in pre-season we start with both because Bart [Verbruggen] will play in Europe and Tom [McGill] the Copa America with Canada. I will have much time to analyse both.”
Although the Italian manager has now departed the south coast, it is unlikely that this will change the club’s stance on giving a chance to their talented young goalkeeper.
This development highlights the importance for Wednesday to search for other players in Beadle’s position, and Crawley’s soon-to-be free agent Addai appears to be a fantastic option.
GET MORE NEWS HERE
Leave a Reply