Credit: Imago

Oliver Walton

Tue 12 May 2026 12:18, UK

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Sheffield Wednesday must be confident of agreeing a deal to re-sign Barry Bannan after some social media activity suggested that he would like to return to boost their League One promotion hopes.

Bannan left Wednesday as a club legend in January in the midst of their administration following Dejphon Chansiri’s tumultuous exit.

The 36-year-old made the move to Championship promotion-chasers Millwall, yet the switch has not really worked out for any of the parties involved so far.

Bannan has struggled to make his way into the Lions’ starting eleven over the last five months amid their push for the play-offs, and now some controversy on social media points to his exit being inevitable this summer.

The Owls will surely be at the front of the queue for his services, given their recent takeover and his previous comments about retiring in S6.

Barry Bannan looks set for Millwall exit

Bannan made his 16th Millwall appearance in the second leg of their play-off semi-final tie against Hull on Monday, but was unable to help his side into the final as they lost 2-0 on the night and on aggregate.

Some Wednesday supporters took exception to the criticism he received on X for his performance off the bench, with Bannan’s wife replying to one post on the subject to insinuate that he has not been a fan of Alex Neil’s management at The Den.

She later replied with a fingers-crossed emoji after an Owls supporter asked if Bannan’s “holiday” at Millwall was soon to be over, clearly hinting that he will seek a move away this summer.

The Scottish midfielder still has one year left on his Lions contract, but it seems as if all parties will be seeking alternatives for him to explore ahead of next season.

His race seems to be run in the Championship at 36-years-old, with The Star reporting that there remains a possibility that he could return to Hillsborough in the coming months.

Football finance expert Stefan Borson has exclusively revealed to Football Insider that he expects David Storch to deal with Wednesday’s financial issues following his recent takeover.

One way to get their fans truly onside would be to complete a deal for Bannan to return, and that surely seems likely following this latest social media bombshell.

What has Bannan said about retiring at Hillsborough?

Bannan likely never wanted to leave Wednesday, but the club’s precarious financial position left him with little choice.

Not only do Owls fans want him back at the club ahead of next season, his previous comments point to the likelihood of him also being open to a return.

Speaking to Sportsboom before his move last year, Bannan admitted that he wants to retire at Hillsborough, saying: “I’ve got a close bond with the fans and the club. It’s a place that I hold dear in my heart. I love it here.

“I’d love to end my career at Hillsborough if it was down to me. I’ve made that clear over a number of years now, I want to finish my career here.”

Bannan will surely get the chance to do so this summer, with Storch and new owners Arise Capital left with a no-brainer move to re-sign him and boost their chances of an immediate return to the Championship.