Sheffield Wednesday badly needed to get the January transfer window right.

The Owls’ hold on the playoff positions was slipping, they sat just one point above seventh place halfway through the month, and they knew that with the right additions they could consolidate their spot in the top six.

Unfortunately, it hasn’t quite turned out like that.

The Owls quite simply didn’t get things right throughout the transfer window, and they’ve won just once since beating Leeds at Elland Road.

Of course, poor January additions aren’t the only reason for the Yorkshire club’s demise, but they certainly haven’t helped, and it’s all too easy to point the finger at one man in particular.

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Connor Wickham was the Owls’ marquee deadline day signing.

A striker who once scored eight goals in 11 games for the club in a previous loan spell looked to be exactly what they needed after losing Steven Fletcher to injury, but Wickham has flopped tremendously.

He’s not scored, he’s not set up a goal, and he’s had just two shots on target since joining the club.

With The Sun (19/1/20 page 63), previously reporting that Wednesday’s offer to land Wickham involved them paying £12k a week of his wages, the Owls have seemingly thrown £84k down the drain after seven weeks of misery at the club.

That works out at £42k per shot on target, and that isn’t the sort of money you want to be shelling out for such a poor return.

Garry Monk has watched his team falter recently, and while his poor January business isn’t the only reason for their shortcomings, you can’t help but feel they’d be in a better position if they’d been savvier.

The Yorkshire club really got this one wrong, and Wickham can only be described as a truly awful signing.

In other news, Sheffield Wednesday’s summer priority should now be clear.