Sheffield Wednesday enjoyed a fine festive period, with ten points from four games seeing the Owls move out of the relegation zone.

Despite that, there’s clearly a lot of work to do at Hillsborough. Firstly, and most importantly, owner Dejphon Chansiri has to pick a new manager, but with the transfer window opens, key decisions have to be made in terms of new recruits.

And, according to Yorkshire Live, Wednesday could still press ahead with plans to bring Sam Hutchinson back to the club, even though he was identified as a target by former boss Tony Pulis.

On one hand, the prospect of re-signing the 31-year-old hasn’t excited some fans, and you can understand why. After all, Hutchinson suffers with injuries and he was released last year.

However, on a short-term basis, he could be exactly what’s needed to help the club stay up. A main reason for that is the strong mentality he will bring to the group.

Hutchinson is a leader in the way he organises on the pitch, but he also has the passion and determination that can rub off on others. He will block shots, battle for headers and win tackles. With Wednesday in a fight to stay up, these are the sort of qualities that can shine through.

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Plus, the club need a new midfielder. Joey Pelupessy doesn’t convince in the middle of the park, and if Hutchinson can get near to his best, he would walk into the XI. Having someone with his positional sense and willingness to do the dirty work could also help Barry Bannan rediscover the form that made him a standout player at this level.

With Hutchinson available on a free having left Pafos FC in Cypus, this is a low-risk move that could ensure the Owls preserve their status in the Championship without too much worry.

Ultimately, the recent form has been encouraging, yet that can’t deflect from the fact that the squad needs improving this month. On paper, bringing back a player you released in the summer isn’t a good look, however Hutchinson has the qualities to ensure Sheffield Wednesday can get out of this difficult position, which is all that matters right now.

Thoughts? Let us know in the comments below.