Sheffield Wednesday blow confirmed as scale of Josh Windass injury is revealed

Windass was taken off at half-time in their goalless draw with Watford last week in what was initially cast as a precautionary measure. But it seems the 30-year-old, who The Star revealed would be the subject of contract talks with Wednesday this month, is facing a longer stint out after a closer diagnosis in the last days.

Owls boss Danny Röhl spoke honestly about the disappointment of losing a player who has been key to his set-up and how he wants to go about things. He confirmed Windass will miss Friday's monumentally important Championship clash with Birmingham City - and beyond - with a period of 'weeks' described.

"Josh will be really difficult for the next weeks," he told The Star. "Really, really difficult. This is the situation, it's hard to take, we will miss him for some games. They come fast, next week is another week that is Friday, Tuesday, Saturday. It means just one week out is three games gone."

Asked to specify whether Windass, whose exact injury is unspecified but is understood to be a muscle issue, will be out for a case of 'weeks rather than months', Röhl responded: "With Josh it is always difficult. You have to look from game to game, from week to week, from day to day. At the moment it doesn't look great."