'Credit to the EFL' - Finance expert explains Sheffield Wednesday transfer embargo latest
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Ben Palmer
Wed 27 August 2025 19:00, UK
Sheffield Wednesday have had their transfer embargo lifted after Dejphon Chansiri was bypassed by the EFL and Premier League.
That is according to football finance expert Dan Plumley, who told Football Insider exclusively that the governing body deserved credit for the way they had supported the Owls’ staff members.
Sheffield Wednesday were placed under a three-window transfer embargo in June after failing to pay their players and staff on time.
This then led to Josh Windass joining Wrexham for free after successfully cancelling his contract with the club, and 12 other players have departed Hillsborough this summer.
But the most concerning issue has been the exit of manager Danny Rohl, who successfully steered the Owls away from a relegation battle last season.
The German boss departed with less than two weeks before their season opener, with Henrik Pedersen taking charge in his stead.
Sheffield Wednesday has earned one point from their opening three games under their new boss, but will be hoping to recruit several new players before the transfer window closes in a bid to avoid plummeting down to League One.
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However, the Owls’ stunning penalty shootout win over Leeds United in the Carabao Cup on 26 August added a glimmer of hope that the club could be turning a corner on the pitch at least, even if the issues off of it still remain.
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This article contains exclusive comment from Dan Plumley, a football finance expert and senior lecturer at Sheffield Hallam University.
Speaking to Football Insider exclusively, Plumley explained why the EFL had been able to lift its embargo after funnelling payments directly to Wednesday’s players and staff, rather than providing owner Dejphon Chansiri with the funds himself.
He said: “Credit to the EFL, actually, in this regard.
The main reason it’s been lifted is because we’re led to believe that there was a Premier League solidarity payment and also some EFL TV cash for the first part of that, which was in the region of £2.5m.
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“That was funnelled directly to the players and staff behind the scenes to be able to pay those wages, and it sorted the tax considerations as well.
“It was done so the money didn’t go to the owner to then distribute to the club; it went directly to the players in that regard, which has enabled them to lift the embargo.
“That’s the main reason why those embargoes have been lifted, it’s because that money went straight into clearing those debts.”
The Owls and their supporters may be free from the clutches of Chansiri by November 2025.
Sheffield Wednesday are likely to be sold before the English football regulator comes in, Keith Wyness told Football Insider exclusively.
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The new regulator is being fast-tracked by the Labour government in the hopes that they can be in place by November.
Morecambe have already been sold after enduring a similar fate to Wednesday, and a regulator would be able to intervene at Hillsborough if the mess continues through to the end of this year.