Oxford United will face an uphill battle to secure key transfer target Kyreece Lisbie as two new sides, including Sheffield Wednesday, have entered the race to sign the Colchester United man.

The U’s have been previously reported as front-runners to sign the 22-year-old, in front of other League One outfits Peterborough United and Reading, the latter of whom were close to signing the winger in January.

Owls And Terriers Enter Race

While Matt Bloomfield’s side have been at the front of the queue to sign the former Braintree Town man, they now face two new threats to sealing an agreement with Colchester, with Football League World reporting that Sheffield Wednesday and Huddersfield Town are now preparing bids.

Henrik Pedersen’s side will be keen to make an impact in the market in their first window since Dejphon Chansiri’s removal at Hillsborough, and have now landed on Lisbie as a key transfer signing.

The Dane was believed to be under threat as to his future in the Steel City, but it has now since been confirmed that he will continue on in the hotseat as they look to re-establish themselves as a competitive force in League One.

Huddersfield Town are also keen on making a move for Lisbie, having already begun their summer shopping with Blackpool striker Ashley Fletcher confirmed to be moving back to his native West Yorkshire.

The Terriers have had other wingers on their radar this window, having been tipped to sign Everton youth prospect Isaac Heath, but lost out to League One newcomers Cambridge United.

Colchester are expected to command a substantial six-figure fee for their star winger, with the Reading Chronicle marking any successful deal to be in the region of £500,000 to £750,000.

Wednesday Entrance May Flip Script

Oxford United seemed to have been in a strong place when it came to signing Kyreece Lisbie, with the U’s certain to be a contender for promotion next season, something that their transfer rivals may not have been able to match.

However, the emergence of Huddersfield Town and Sheffield Wednesday in the race will mean that Matt Bloomfield will have his work cut out to secure a deal for their number one target.

While they do have a crucial advantage in having already held talks with the Kassam Stadium side and are likely to be further along in negotiations, both Town and Wednesday may cause Lisbie to sit back and assess.

The Owls of course have a long way to go to get back to their best following years of mismanagement from ownership, but with Henrik Pedersen and owner David Storch willing to get the club back on its feet, securing some exciting young talent will be key to their future fortunes.

Having a great track record when it comes to developing the stars of the future with Bailey Cadamarteri having moved onto Wrexham and current goalkeeper Pierce Charles tipped with a move to Manchester City, heading to Hillsborough could be a key step for Lisbie to become a star of the future within the game.

A first season under new ownership at Wednesday may come with the pressure off in terms of expectations, and that environment could be perfect for the 22-year-old to flourish and continue his rise.