Sheffield Wednesday look set to be punished by Chelsea for not using Izzy Brown as a regular player, according to The Sun on Sunday (31/01, page 57).

The attacking midfielder joined the Owls back in August to bolster the club's creativity, but the deal has not worked out for the player or the club.

Brown has so far made 15 Championship appearances for Wednesday, but only three of them have been starts and that won't have impressed Chelsea, who would have been expecting Brown to get regular game-time.

Alan Nixon wrote in his paper article that 'the terms of the loan means they (Sheffield Wednesday) pay more the less he appears', and brief cameos off the bench isn't likely going to cut it for the Premier League giants.

It is Brown's fifth Championship loan spell following previous moves to Rotherham, Huddersfield, Leeds and Luton, and with the 24-year-old out of contract at the end of the season he may have been hoping to play himself into a permanent deal with Wednesday.

But he simply hasn't had the game-time required to show enough, and it is perhaps a surprise that Chelsea have not recalled him in order for him to get minutes elsewhere.

Quiz: Who has done more of these 15 things out of Sheffield Wednesday and Sheffield United?

 

With uncertainty surrounding the managerial role at Hillsborough, Brown's chances of playing for the rest of the season are hanging in the balance, but whatever the case Wednesday look set to be penalised for not holding up their end of the bargain.

The Verdict

It would probably be in the best interests of all parties if Brown was recalled by Chelsea, but it would be very late in the transfer window for that to happen and to find him a new club.

For whatever reason, it just hasn't happened for Brown at Hillsborough, and if Neil Thompson stays then it seems rather unlikely that he will be making many starts.

Financial penalties are the last thing Wednesday needs considering they are struggling to pay their players on time, so a termination of the loan is surely the best for everyone.