Over the past couple of seasons, Sheffield Wednesday have at times looked like they had the necessary quality to achieve promotion to the Premier League.

They have made two play-off campaigns, both under former boss Carlos Carvalhal after putting players on big money contracts such as Fernando Forestieri and Barry Bannan to help get Wednesday back to the promised land.

Yet despite lucrative deals and at times playing some exciting and attractive football, it seems this current squad of Owls players may have run its course.

Sheffield Wednesday could be faced with the daunting prospect of potentially offloading many of their star players like Forestieri, in an attempt to balance the books after a disappointing season where the club finished 15th in the Championship.

A position many feel the club should not be.

Like many clubs who have tried and failed before in the English second tier, which by the year seems to be almost becoming a 'mini Premier League', it appears that the only way to have a realistic shot of promotion is to spend big and hope for the best.

Something which fellow rival Aston Villa are also having to come to terms with, having missed out on promotion to Fulham in the play-off final at Wembley last month.

If the worst should happen and current Owls boss Jos Luhukay was to slash the club's playing budget, there could be the potential for a very new look Wednesday side come August.

The consequences of these outcomes may mean the club would have to make do for a couple of seasons, in the sense of just trying to retain their Championship status.

Or with due diligence and networking, Luhukay might be able to wheel and deal his way to attracting fresh talent to Hillsborough who are hungry and good enough to steer the Sheffield Wednesday back towards the top of the Championship tree.

Either way, this will be a trying and testing summer to all those connected with the club and there may not be necessarily a quick fix.

Only time will tell if Wednesday can rely on their recent promotion endevours to push for the heights that took them to within a touching distance of the Premier League.