Leeds United loaned Ian Poveda to Sheffield Wednesday on deadline day after Birmingham City expressed interest, and he scared the Blues with a Man of the Match performance on his debut.
Leeds approved a number of outgoing transactions during the January transfer window, with Daniel Farke seems content to allow certain marginal players leave the club.
Ian Poveda was the club’s penultimate departure, as he made the short journey down to Hillsborough to sign on loan with Sheffield Wednesday until the end of the season.
Poveda makes Owls home debut
Poveda made his home debut this weekend, taking on Birmingham City under the lights on Friday.
Poveda was in spectacular form for the Owls throughout the match, setting up the opener with stunning agility near the byline, then cutting back for Ike Ugbo for a simple finish.
The winger nearly scored for himself as he made a mockery of Ivan Sunjic and curled barely wide of the far post.
Wednesday secured a critical three points in the second half when Ugbo scored twice, but his brace was unable to claim the Man of the Match award from Poveda.
Tony Mowbray reacts to Poveda’s display with transfer admission.
In the opposing dugout, Blues manager Tony Mowbray will have found it difficult to swallow Poveda’s outstanding performance, given that he was another manager who wanted him on deadline day from Leeds.
After taking him on loan at Blackburn Rovers in 21/22, he was pleased to reunite with the Colombia international, saying this post-match about him (via Birmingham Live):
“Poveda is a good player, I must say. We were quite close to signing Poveda during the recent signing period. He was a player I had at Blackburn Rovers and is a really gifted young man.”
Ian Poveda: This is what you could have won, Mowbray.
Poveda’s performance on Friday demonstrated that he could be a deciding factor in Wednesday’s relegation battle.
He was the finest player on the pitch during his time there, and Danny Rohl should value his ingenuity.
You can see why Mowbray wanted him in his Birmingham City team, and he witnessed firsthand what he could have had himself.