Sheffield Wednesday are currently enjoying their best season since relegation from the Premier League in 2000, sitting pretty in the last play-off spot with a five point gap over nearest challengers Cardiff.

Before Saturday's shock defeat to Bristol City, the Owls had won their last four, and they still look like they have a really good chance to become the third team to gain promotion to the top flight this summer.

Most Wednesday fans, however, will agree that so far the highlight of their season has been the 3-0 annihilation of Arsenal in the League Cup back in October.

And whilst their squad boasts some amazing talent, Carlos Carvalhal will be looking to shift some of the deadwood that he possesses in the depths of his ranks, possibly in order to make room on the wage budget for one or two marquee signings this summer.

Here, in the opinion of FLW's Ryan Evans, is FIVE players that Sheffield Wednesday should axe in the summer......

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PRESS THE IMAGE BELOW TO SEE THE FIVE PLAYERS!

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Atdhe Nuhiu

Atdhe Nuhiu Atdhe Nuhiu

Whilst the striker has played a lot this season, making 37 appearances to be precise, the number nine has managed just three goals and five assists. That's form you'd expect from the bottom club's strikers.

Nuhiu can't hide behind the fact that he isn't getting game time, because he is, nor the service provided, with the likes of Fernando Forestieri, Barry Bannan and Gary Hooper showing that Wednesday have one of the best attacking lines in the division.

Since moving to Hillsborough in July 2013, Nuhiu has made 118 league appearances, but has scored just 19 goals.

This return is simply not good enough and, especially if Wednesday end up back in the top flight, the Austrian could find himself on the way out of the club.

Lewis Price

Lewis PriceLewis Price

After loan spells at Mansfield and Crawley last season, Crystal Palace terminated his contract, and Price signed a deal at Hillsborough. Quite how his previous form qualifies him for a team of the quality of Wednesday is bewildering, and the 31-year old has been limited in his playing time this season.

In fact, the last time he got any sort of number of games in a season, other than at Crawley, was during his spell at Ipswich between 2003 and 2007.

In 2007, he signed for Derby after the Rams gained promotion to the Premier League, as back up to number one Stephen Bywater, and we all know what happened next.

After Derby were humiliated with relegation, Price went on to make a total of six league appearances during his three years at what was then Pride Park.

Considering the 11-time Welsh international only signed a one-year deal at the start of the season, it is unlikely that Carvalhal will want him to stay on beyond the end of the season.

 

Lewis McGugan

Lewis McGuganLewis McGugan

After a successful loan spell at the club during the first half of 2015, Owls fans were longing for McGugan to grace them with his presence during the 2015-16 season.

The Wednesday board delivered, and the ex-England under-age international signed on a three year deal. Since that day, however, the daydream has ended, with McGugan given less than 500 minutes under Carvalhal, and has netted just twice.

McGugan made 202 appearances for Nottingham Forest during his seven year spell there, and looked like a potential Premier League player.

However, the last time he set foot on a pitch with his senior team-mates was for 16 minutes in the 1-0 defeat to Rotherham at the start of March, and he is another that arguably should be shipped out in the summer.

Modou Sougou

Modou Sougou00

With an amazing reputation throughout Europe, the signing of Sougou this summer was a major feather in the Owls' cap. However, nine appearances later, and it hasn't turned out to be a dream move for the Senegalese international.

Netting just twice, he would expect better of himself, as do the Wednesday boss and fans. The fact he gives the ball away a lot has frustrated pretty much everyone this season, after some even tipped him, before the start of the campaign, to be in the running for player of the season at the culmination of his debut campaign in England.

The 31-year old is without an appearance since January's FA Cup defeat to Shrewsbury.

However, is this massive under-performance down to a lack of playing time and faith shown to him by boss Carvalhal, or is it his fault for not capitalising on his opportunities?

Marco Matias

Marco MatiasMarco Matias

The 26-year old was one of the tougher choices out of these five players.

In 14 appearances this season, Matias has three goals, and has featured regularly off the bench in recent months.

He signed for Wednesday from Portugese side Nacional last summer, but with the Owls looking like they could gain promotion to the Premier League, would Matias be a player that Carvalhal would want to take to the top flight with him?

Sheffield Wednesday fans, what do you think? Are there any other players you want to leave in the summer? Let us know your opinions below!