This article is part of Football League World's 'The Verdict' series, which provides personal opinions from the FLW writers regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...

Sheffield Wednesday have announced that Steven Fletcher, Morgan Fox and Fernando Forestieri have turned down new contracts with the club. 

The Owls are currently sat 15th in the Championship table, and the club's supporters will be hugely frustrated to see their side struggling for form since the turn of the New Year, having previously occupied a spot in the play-off places earlier this term.

Fletcher's refusal to sign a new contract will be a sizeable blow for Garry Monk's side, with the Scotsman being one of the few Sheffield Wednesday players to come away with any sort of credit to their name in a disappointing league campaign to date.

Fletcher has scored 13 goals in 30 appearances this season for the Owls, who will be hoping they can find a way to cope without him leading the line.

But how big of a blow is it to hear that Fletcher has turned down the club's offer to sign a new deal?

We discuss....

Sam Rourke: 

It's not ideal.

Fletcher is a consistent goalscorer in the Championship, and you feel the Owls would surely have liked to have kept hold of someone with that pedigree and experience.

However, ultimately there is not much you can do as a club when the player declines your offer, and I expect the Scotsman to not be short of many offers when he becomes a free agent.

A new striker will surely now be one of the Owls' top priorities in the transfer window, with Sam Winnall also leaving the club and Jordan Rhodes' future still uncertain.

There is no denying this is a blow, but as aforementioned, it seems to be a blow that was somewhat out of the club's hands.

Alfie Burns: 

He’s been excellent this season and has been their top goalscorer, but I’m not convinced that it is the sort of blow that will leave Wednesday fans gutted.

This has been, by far, Fletcher’s best season at the club and if you take these 13 goals from this season away, it’s been a pretty underwhelming stay in South Yorkshire.

The Scot has never consistently found the back of the net and injuries have always hampered him at crucial times.

Of course, losing your top scorer is a bad PR move and it will leave a bitter taste he isn’t even seeing out the season, but it is a blow that Wednesday can recover from.

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Ned Holmes: 

This is a massive blow for the Owls.

Fletcher has been a key man for Wednesday over the past few seasons and has shown he still has the ability to thrive in the Championship this term – grabbing 13 goals despite missing a number of games due to injury.

Without him, they have often struggled in the 2019/20 campaign and though Connor Wickham grabbed a goal against Forest, you'd question whether he can carry the load that Fletcher has.

Looking further ahead it means that they need a complete revamp of their forward line and are looking a much weaker side.

I don't think the Scotsman will be short of suitors, while the Owls will likely rue not sorting this situation earlier.