Julian Borner is closing in on a move away from Sheffield Wednesday with Hannover 96 agreeing to pay a 'six-figure sum' for the defender.

It's no secret that the German outfit have been wanting to bring the 30-year-old in during the window but they had initially hoped to sign him on a free transfer.

The Owls made it clear that they wanted a fee for the player and negotiations have been ongoing in recent weeks between the two clubs.

And, there has finally been a breakthrough, with Yorkshire Live revealing that an agreement has been reached, with Borner now set to finalise the move, which is why he wasn't involved in the friendly game against West Brom this afternoon.

That will increase the need for Darren Moore to bring in new defenders this window, although Borner's departure should give him more wriggle room as it reduces the wage bill, along with collecting a small fee.

Borner has spent the past two years with Wednesday, featuring in 26 games as they were relegated from the Championship last season.

The verdict

This seems like a sensible move for all parties. Firstly, Borner will welcome the chance to move back to Germany and he is joining a good club in the second tier.

From Wednesday's perspective, they were right to stand their ground and demand a fee, but they've now shifted a decent earner and the focus will now be on finding players who want to be at the club and who can help the team.

That has to be the focus for Moore now, as he knows a lot of work needs to be done ahead of the opener.

Thoughts? Let us know in the comments below.