Newcastle United set for talks with Championship club over outcast's future

Championship club Sheffield Wednesday are reportedly looking to hold talks over the future of Newcastle United outcast Jeff Hendrick.

The Star have reported Wednesday are ‘keen to discuss’ whether bringing a premature end to his season-long loan would be a realistic possibility as they look to free up some space on their wage bill for further January additions.

The Owls have been in resurgent form in recent weeks after new manager Danny Rohl oversaw wins against the likes of Hull City, Preston North End and Blackburn Rovers to move within touching distance of escaping the relegation zone after looking favourites to drop back into League One earlier in the season.

Yet Hendrick's involvement in the upturn in form has been limited to just over an hour of action since the end of October after the 79-times capped Republic of Ireland international suffered a knee injury and joined a lengthy list of absentees with Rohl’s squad.

Despite not featuring in any on-field action since a late substitute appearance in the 3-1 home win against Blackburn Rovers in early December, Hendrick has admitted to being impressed over the impact Rohl has made since he was appointed at Hillsborough in October.

He told Football League World: “The detail that the manager has brought in, and the work ethic in the group has been good.  You must give everything on the pitch, and I think every player should have that in them. 

“To have a manager pushing us is very good – people probably wrote us off, but I thought that was too soon – it’s a long season.  Last season, you look at the position that I was in with Reading in October, I think we were in the top six. You must just keep going, keep fighting until the very end.”

Whether Hendrick gets a chance to play a more prominent role in Wednesday’s resurgence under Rohl remains to be seen as the Championship club await further confirmation over Newcastle’s stance on their loan signing.