Could developments at Aston Villa, along with concerns over Gary Hooper’s fitness, finally see Rhodes become a Sheffield Wednesday player?

It’s a transfer rumour which has been bubbling on-and-off for as long as one can remember, although Jordan Rhodes to Sheffield Wednesday has never really seemed a logical move.

That could be about to change, however, if Gary Hooper is ruled out for a prolonged spell. Love him or hate him, it’s hard to deny that Hooper has been the Owls’ key man in recent weeks, scoring or creating five of his side’s last six goals. In that sort of form, Wednesday needn’t look twice at Rhodes – as good as the Middlesbrough man has proved himself to be.

But if Hooper’s absence is to be a long-term one – and seeing him hobble past the away end at Fulham on Saturday doesn’t offer much hope that it won’t be – the Owls would finally have reason to pursue Rhodes in January.

The 26-year-old has played barely a full game of Premier League football (105 minutes) for Boro this season and was allegedly sighted at Hillsborough – where his dad, Andy, is employed as goalkeeping coach – during the Teessiders’ penultimate fixture against Manchester City. If Wednesday wanted him, it perhaps wouldn’t be too hard to get him, and a loan until the end of the season could benefit all three parties.

Rival interest would be only natural for a player who’s scored 91 goals in 189 Championship appearances, although bookies’ favourites Aston Villa are unlikely to pursue a new striker in January (Birmingham Mail) and the geographical location of second favourites Norwich – on the buttock of Britain – is hardly ideal for a North East-based player with links to both sides of the Pennines.

Even if Aston Villa were keen, their chances may have been hit by Colin Calderwood’s appointment as assistant manager – ahead of Rhodes’ uncle, Steve Agnew, another Villa Park target (Gazette Live) – while one suspects that Boro would prefer not to boost a Premier League relegation rival, such as Burnley or Hull City, who are 5/ and 6/1 respectively with Bet Victor.

Is Hooper’s return to fitness the only thing standing in the way now?

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