There will be many fringe players at Sheffield Wednesday now who are increasingly worried about their chances at first-team action next term, having witnessed a whole wave of new players enter the building this summer.
Danny Rohl hasn't hesitated when it comes to getting rid of established Owls players for new talents either this off-season, allowing Will Vaulks to walk away from Hillsborough for pastures new at Oxford United after he was previously a firm fan's favourite.
Therefore, the popular German manager won't shirk being cutthroat this summer either, especially when it comes to offloading a high-earning dud still on the books at the South Yorkshire club.
Mallik Wilks' time at Wednesday
Many supporters of the Championship outfit might well have forgotten that Mallik Wilks was even still in and around the Wednesday camp, as the former Leeds United youth player sunk into the background further after Rohl arrived on the scene.
The frustrating Owls number seven only started one solitary game all season long in the second tier, with his 35-year-old manager very rarely thrusting the left-footed attacker into the spotlight ahead of the likes of Anthony Musaba or Djeidi Gassama.
That was for good reason too, as Wilks routinely underwhelmed when given a major opportunity in the starting XI, with zero goals or assists registered from his 15 Championship clashes in total.
It's not like the ex-Whites man was an electric forward under Darren Moore during the dramatic promotion season up from League One either, as the disappointing attacker only started 16 league games across that unbelievable campaign, with just one strike next to his name that time around.
Wilks could be set to leave this summer, therefore, as more and more upheaval is predicted to happen in South Yorkshire, but it remains to be seen what club would be convinced to take him on after damaging his stock at Hillsborough.
Wilks' wage at Wednesday
The wheels will hopefully quickly come into motion over any potential deal from Wednesday's perspective when you consider the wantaway 25-year-old is on a heftier wage than the likes of new signing Max Lowe and key defender Di'Shon Bernard at the moment – as per Capology – who is staying put at Hillsborough now after new contract talks had reached a prior standstill.
As per Capology's 24/25 wage bill for Wednesday, Wilks will be earning an excessive £11.9k-per-week pay packet again if he isn't offloaded shortly.
That is a heftier salary than what the aforementioned Lowe will be earning this coming campaign, who will pocket £10k-per-week, despite the ex-Sheffield United man joining this summer with a reputation for being an experienced defender for the second tier, with 87 Championship games under his belt across his career to date.
1. Barry Bannan
£24k-per-week
2. Callum Paterson
£18k-per-week
3. Michael Smith
£17.5k-per-week
4. Michael Ihiewke
£15.1k-per-week
5. Josh Windass
£15k-per-week
Wilks' excessive salary isn't that far off entering him into the top five earners at the club, despite his constant absences barely being felt during crunch games for Wednesday, as the likes of Josh Windass and Barry Bannan named above came up trumps time and time again for the Owls.
Bernard also did his bit playing in Wednesday's defence when all the pressure was ramped up in the midst of a relegation dogfight, as the Jamaica international notched up ten clean sheets from 32 contests played.
Yet, despite putting his neck on the line for his South Yorkshire side when it mattered, Bernard's wage is lower than that of Wilks as well, at a meagre £6.5k-per-week.
Therefore, if the Owls can tempt anyone to take a punt on Wilks, it would be a move that suits all parties.
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