Preparations for life in the third-tier of English football are already underway at Sheffield Wednesday as manager Darren Moore looks to launch a complete overhaul of his squad this summer.

With the Owls set to announce their retained list later this month, it is expected that forward Jordan Rhodes will be one of the players who will be allowed to leave as he is seemingly set to join Huddersfield Town after his contract at Hillsborough expires next month.

Meanwhile, five of the club's Under-23 players have been released ahead of the upcoming transfer window.

With Moore looking to bolster his first-team options in the coming months, it is hardly a surprise that he is being linked with a move for Doncaster Rovers full-back Reece James.

According to The Star, The Owls boss is reportedly keen to link up with the 27-year-old who he managed during his time at the Keepmoat Stadium.

However, a potential move could be hindered by the fact that Wednesday are unable to offer James the chance of playing in the Championship following their relegation to the third-tier earlier this month.

Furthermore, it is understood that Doncaster have offered the full-back a new deal in an attempt to prevent him from leaving the club on a free transfer when his contract expires in June.

A stand-out performer for Rovers last season, James offered a significant threat in an attacking sense as he scored seven goals and provided two assists for his team-mates in 43 league appearances.

With there being a great deal of uncertainty surrounding Adam Reach's future due to the fact that he has yet to agree to fresh terms with Wednesday, Moore may need to add to his options in this particular position if the 28-year-old opts to move on to pastures new.

GIVEMESPORT's Joshua Cole says...

This could turn out to be somewhat of a masterstroke by Moore if he can convince James to join the Owls this summer.

As well possessing a wealth of experience at this level having played 146 games in League One during his career, the full-back recorded an impressive average WhoScored match rating of 6.69  for Doncaster in the 2020/21 campaign

An extremely versatile player, James was utilised as a central-midfielder at times last season whilst he also lined up on the left-hand side of midfield on 10 occasions.

Having previously flourished under the guidance of Moore, the defender could potentially reach new heights next year if he decides to join Wednesday as he will be able to learn from his former boss again.