Championship side Sheffield Wednesday are set to secure a deal for Heerenveen defender Joost van Aken before the August 31 deadline, reports Dutch newspaper De Telegraf.

The 23-year-old moved to the Eredivisie outfit back in 2013 and has since gone on to become an integral part of the squad at the Abe Lenstra Stadium, appearing 92 times in all competitions for the club, netting three goals along the way.

26 appearances of which came last term in the league to help Heerenveen to a ninth place finish in the Dutch top-flight, and he also started their first two league matches of this term, helping the club to a 3-3 draw against Groningen on the opening day before drawing 1-1 at home with Heracles Almelo the week after.

However, van Aken was left out of the Heerenveen side that beat ADO Den Haag 2-1 on Saturday, and recent reports suggest that it was as a result of his imminent departure to Carlos Carvalhal’s Sheffield Wednesday.

The Owls have reportedly agreed a deal with the Dutch side to bring the Netherlands Under-21 international to Hillsborough, as Portuguese chief Carvalhal seeks improvements after what has been a slow start to the new Championship season.

Wednesday have won just one of their first five league matches and drew 1-1 at Burton Albion last time out, and having kept just one clean sheet in all competitions thus far this term, it’s clear that defensive reinforcements are needed if they are to again challenge for promotion.

And the imminent arrival of van Aken looks set to bolster those ranks ahead of the remainder of the campaign.

The Verdict: Carlos Carvalhal is already under pressure at Sheffield Wednesday after a sluggish start to the Championship season, as well as their distinct lack of activity in the transfer window over the summer.

The Owls have only managed to bring George Boyd and Frederico Venancio to the club as they seek to again bounce back from play-off heartache, but just one win from their opening five league matches, as well as an injury to centre-back Glenn Loovens, has highlighted Carvalhal’s increasingly dire need to bolster his defensive department.

And landing Netherlands Under-21 defender Joost van Aken looks set to do just that, with the 23-year-old having been a key feature in the Heerenveen side over the past three seasons, and earning many rave reviews along the way.

And Carvahal will be hoping that the Dutch youngster can make a quick adaptation to English football in a bid to help Wednesday climb the Championship table after the international break.

Sheffield Wednesday fans… what do you make of the news? Let us know your thoughts and opinions in the comments below!