Sheffield Wednesday are reportedly weighing up a summer move for departing Stockport County midfielder Odin Bailey as the club begins shaping plans for life back in League One, according to Alex Miller.
The Owls are heading into a significant rebuild after relegation from the Championship, with recruitment likely to be focused on players who can make an immediate impact in the third tier. Bailey, who is leaving Stockport at the end of his contract, has now emerged as one name under consideration.
The 26-year-old is set to become available on a free transfer after County confirmed their retained list, ending a spell at Edgeley Park that included a League Two title win, a permanent move from Salford City and a run to the League One play-off final. That combination of availability, age and recent divisional experience is likely to place him on more than one recruitment list this summer.
Sheffield Wednesday Look To Rebuild
Wednesday’s situation gives the link some logic. The club have dropped into League One at a time when the squad is expected to change, and the need for players with proven EFL experience is obvious. Bailey is not a player who would arrive with Championship wages or a transfer fee attached, but he does have a solid recent body of work in the division that Wednesday will be trying to get out of.
He was used regularly by Stockport during their first season back in League One, having previously helped the Hatters win promotion from League Two. Bailey featured in the play-off final defeat against Bolton Wanderers at Wembley, giving him recent experience of the level Wednesday will expect to be competing at next season.
His route to this point has not been entirely straightforward. Bailey came through at Birmingham City and made a handful of first-team appearances for the club, including scoring a late Championship winner against Middlesbrough in 2019. Loan spells at Gloucester City, Forest Green Rovers and Livingston followed, with the move to Scotland giving him regular top-flight football before his later switches to Salford and Stockport.
At Stockport, he found the most settled period of his senior career. He first joined the club on loan in September 2023, then made the move permanent in January 2024. Across his time with County, he made more than 90 league appearances and contributed from attacking midfield areas, offering the sort of flexibility that can be useful across a long League One campaign.
Outside interest
Lincoln City have also been credited with an interest, with Stockport County reporter Sam Byrne suggesting Bailey is on the Imps’ radar too. That adds another layer to the situation, although the two clubs are approaching the summer from very different positions. Wednesday are rebuilding after relegation, while Lincoln are preparing for Championship football after promotion.
Bailey would look like a practical target rather than a statement signing from a Sheffield Wednesday perspective. He knows the level, he is available without a fee, and he has been part of successful squads. The Owls need more than big names this summer; they need players who understand League One and can help reset the mood quickly. Bailey may not be the most eye-catching name on the list, but he is exactly the sort of player who makes sense at this stage of the window.
