SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY have been given the green light to sign an emergency loan after the only senior keeper on their books Pierce Charles got crocked.
The 20-year-old rookie picked up a shoulder injury and will be out for at least a few weeks.
And with no other “keeper of professional standing” available and the club under a blanket transfer embargo, Wednesday have had to go cap in hand to EFL big-wigs.
They do have keepers Logan Stretch, 18, and Killian Barrett, 21, in their squad — but because neither has played at least five first-team games at League Two level or above they do not count as professional keepers.
Although Barrett did play nine matches in the National League for Rochdale and another eight for Solihull Moors last season, the fifth tier is not recognised as professional despite both clubs being full-time teams.
EFL regulations allow them to sign a keeper for just seven days but that can be rolled over all the time Charles is certified by an independent doctor as unfit to play.
Crisis-club Wednesday travel to Wrexham on Saturday, having lost both their opening Championship games, before hosting Premier League club Leeds in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday and then Swansea in the league next Saturday.
Charles is certain to miss all three before a two-week gap because of the international break.
Owls boss Henrik Pedersen said: “We’re not sure how long Pearce will be out but it’s of course not good because he’s been performing at such a high level for us.
“We’ve got permission to sign a goalkeeper and we have worked the last couple of days to find a solution if it should happen.
“So I hope we’ll have a solution very soon.
“It’s a difficult situation to go on the loan market now and then to find the profile who has all the things we are searching for with the goalkeeper.
“But we are working hard to find one who can fit us right now and help us in the near future and I’m convinced that we can find an OK solution here.
“We’re looking to find a keeper who can stay for longer than seven days.”
Charles has even been linked with a move away from Hillsborough because of the chaos this summer with players not being paid their wages on time.
However, Pedersen is confident the club will keep hold of him — which is just as well given their lack of keepers.
He said: “We’ll do everything to keep him here so when the transfer window is closed Pierce is a part of Sheffield Wednesday.
“He has a big job to do here and we have a big belief, a big trust in him. So I find that we are fantastic for him right now.”
If a keeper is signed on an emergency basis and his parent club recalls him, so long as Wednesday do not have a “professional keeper” they will be able to get another one in.
With players not getting paid, a stand closed because of safety issues and ex-boss Danny Rohl and players leaving, the club has been in a huge mess.
Added to the fact Wednesday will not be allowed to sign any players for a transfer or loan fee until the summer of 2027, the situation could not be much more dire.
But Pedersen says owner Dejphon Chansiri has given him assurances he will sort out the club’s cashflow problems and get it moving in a positive direction.
He said: “The chairman gave me the information that he does all that he can to fix everything so he can pay salaries and we can get new players.”
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