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League One newcomers Sheffield Wednesday are reportedly preparing a loan approach for Liverpool’s promising left-back Calum Scanlon, who impressed during a breakthrough spell in the EFL last term with Cardiff City. The 21-year-old made eight appearances for the Bluebirds in the closing months of their campaign, where his tireless performances on the left flank played a crucial part in Cardiff securing automatic promotion. The quality of his performances was even more impressive considering they came after he had recently returned from a long injury lay-off that kept him out of action for Liverpool’s youth side. According to The Daily Mail, manager of the Welsh side Brian Barry-Murphy is keen to bring Scanlon back to Wales ahead of their Championship return. Yet, another season in League One is also a possibility, with the Owls readying themselves to swoop. Liverpool Starlet In Demand After Mature League One Spell Even at such a tender age, there has been significant fanfare on Merseyside about Scanlon’s potential, with a tough run of injuries being the culprit that has curtailed his development until now. A significant hamstring tear cut short his Championship loan spell with Millwall in 2025 after just four appearances under Alex Neil, though he did manage to score his first senior goal from full-back against Cardiff City, the team he would later join. Scanlon, who has represented England at various age-group levels, including Under-20, would be a valuable asset to any promotion-chasing side, so it’s no surprise that Wednesday have targeted him. His unwavering commitment to defending makes him an ideal man to have on board from day one of the season, and the Brummie-born full-back is surely eager to sink his teeth into a rigorously designed collective aim, having previously been restricted to bit-part roles due to circumstances out of his control. Henrik Pederson will want to cover as many positions as possible, and the potential arrival of Scanlon would offer both competition and respite for Max Lowe in a hectic EFL season, especially given the 29-year-old’s own history of injury disappointments throughout his lengthy career. Similarly, the Bluebirds faithful would love to see more of him, as his dynamic overlapping runs and quality deliveries into the box brought much entertainment to the Cardiff City Stadium in the spring. Both potential destinations for Scanlon would offer him the platform to showcase his undoubted pedigree and be part of something tangible, with both Sheffield Wednesday and Cardiff holding lofty ambitions for 2026. Blank Canvas Offers Excitement For Sheffield Wednesday After a summer brimming with new arrivals at Hillsborough, manager Henrik Pedersen oversaw the perfect start to the 2026/27 season. Wednesday delivered an organised and well-rounded performance to overcome Championship side Bolton Wanderers in the EFL Cup first round, hinting at much brighter times ahead for the battle-hardened Owls. Club legend Barry Bannan seamlessly re-integrated into the midfield alongside newcomers Callum Slattery and Burundian Jordi Liongola, establishing a solid foundation from which they can build ahead of the league season kick-off against Leyton Orient. Pederson has also emphasised ed the top end of the pitch, deploying summer arrivals Mason Burstow and Leeds United striker Harry Gray to lead the line against the Trotters, with the likes of Jamal Lowe and Louie Barry waiting in reserve. With a quartet of hungry centre forwards set to be craving quality delivery from wide areas, the scope for Scanlon to become a primary goal provider at Hillsborough this season must be very tempting. Liverpool’s academy has a strong recent track record of producing household names at full-back. Whether Calum Scanlon opts for familiar territory in Cardiff or a brand new challenge in South Yorkshire, his progression throughout the new season should be an intriguing story to keep an eye on.