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Sheffield Wednesday, completing a permanent deal for Aden Flint is an ‘open door’, according to manager Darren Moore.

The detail: out of contract

The Owls’ central defender arrived at Hillsborough on loan from Stoke City in January and has so far excelled with a solid run of showings in League One.

The Potters star’s contract at Bet365 Stadium will expire at the end of the season, meaning he will be a free agent to clinch the summer window.

The latest: Moore’s comments

Speaking to The Star, Moore provided an update on Wednesday’s stance regarding the possibility of signing Flint permanently. He said:

“Aden knows that with the level of performance he’s been showing it’s an open door here, really, at the end of the season. There is nothing closed in it. His performances have been good.

“When he first came in, we trained him and played him a bit, got him out and now he’s ready to go.

“It has been vital, a wonderful piece for us. The experience of him playing against anyone brings calm and stability to the players around him, which shows that experience.

“For a big guy, and we all talk about his defensive duties, but with the ball at his feet and time and space, he can take a pass.

“We will see, without putting pressure on the individual or on us as a club. Thanks to him, he wanted to come play football and we needed him here in terms of needing a center midfielder with Mark McGuinness back.

“He fit the profile; we wanted that first-time contact defender that we’ve seen so much benefit from this season. We had Icky, McGuinness, Heneghan and now Flint and you can see they are worth their weight in gold.”

The verdict: do it…

flint has been nicknamed a ‘rock’ at the heart of the journalist’s Wednesday defense josh bunting and Moore should absolutely jump at the chance to acquire his services for good.

The 6-foot-5 colossus is currently averaging 4.5 aerial wins and 2.8 clearances per third-tier game, but he’s also a threat in the final third (WhoScored).

The Pinxton-born talent ranks in the 98th percentile for most touches in the attacking penalty area and 97th percentile for total number of shots (FBRef) compared to other center backs, with one assist already to his name. .

Flint knows what it takes to achieve promotion, having won it twice with Swindon Town and Bristol City, so he fits perfectly into the mold of the direction the Owls want to go in.