Sheffield Wednesday flop Matt Penney is one foot closer to the exit door at Hillsborough after a fresh report emerged this week...

What's the word?

According to The Star, the 23-year-old Owls defender is on the radar of Championship rivals Queens Park Rangers ahead of the summer transfer window.

Penney, a graduate of the club's academy in south Yorkshire, is out of contract at the end of the season and no fresh talks have been held with Wednesday's league status still uncertain.

The Hoops are keeping tabs on his situation as he could be available on a free transfer in just a few months' time.

Let him go

As outlined in the report, the Owls have put contract talks on the backburner until they know which division they'll be competing in next season, and at this stage it certainly looks likely that they will be relegated to League One.

However, they should be glad that a decision could already be made for them over the struggling left-back, as he's simply not worthy of fresh terms at Hillsborough. After returning from a season-long loan at 2.Bundesliga outfit St Pauli, the club exercised a one-year option on Penney's contract to keep him around for the current campaign.

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However, it is rather telling that he has only gone on to feature 12 times in the Championship despite the Owls not having any other left-back in their squad.

Since Darren Moore has taken over, both utility man Adam Reach and right-back Liam Palmer have been preferred in the role, whilst the 5 foot 8 ace ranks among Wednesday's worst performers, as per WhoScored ratings. Penney's 6.45 average is only above five other players to start ten or more league games, and figures such as his 62.4% passing accuracy and 1.1 fouls per game are reasons why he has underperformed greatly.

Garry Monk saw something in him to warrant that extension last summer, telling The Star: "Potential-wise, when I look at the profile of Matt, the characteristics of him, he’s what we’re after - young, hungry and dynamic. He has the technical ability as well."

Former Owls boss Jos Luhukay, who signed him on loan for St Pauli, has evidently always been a fan and once claimed: "He has been fantastic in that left-back position. He plays with no fear, he is not afraid and he is a very good player for us. I am so happy with him."

However, we've never really seen him live up to such hype at Hillsborough, so Wednesday shouldn't fret amid interest from QPR. Instead, they should be glad they can finally wave goodbye to the 23-year-old flop.

It's time to move on this summer.

AND in other news, Worrying update emerges over £20k-p/w "leader", it's bad news for Moore...