Stuart Gray was clearly delighted with his deadline day’s work as he reflected today on his quartet of signings.
After the capture of striker Sergiu Bus, midfielder Filipe Joaquim Melo Silva (pictured), defender Marnick Vermijl and the returning loanee Lewis McGugan, Gray said: “Character-wise, the lads coming in are going to give 100 per cent with the shirt on their back and if they do fail then it will be on ability rather than a lack of application.
“What I think I have done is to improve the squad dramatically and to improve that competition for places, which is healthy for Sheffield Wednesday.”
He said Vemijl is a player he has been tracking for some time and had tried to bring him to S6 earlier. Then David Moyes lost his job at Old Trafford and he had to bide his time while Louis van Gaal assessed his squad.
He descibed Vermijl as “a talented boy, very quick and his best position being right back”. The player was on standby for Belgium’s squad at last year’s World Cup and will provide good competition for Liam Palmer.
Gray, who was delighted to get McGugan back to Hillsborough, said Melo Silva is “a defensive midfielder, very strong in the tackle and should be suited to the Championship”.
Running the rule over Bus, Gray said: “He’s got energy, hunger, he wants to get into the full international side but most important, he can score goals.
“Hopefully, the boy will hit the ground running.”