Sunday 3 September 2017 18:49, UK
Sheffield Wednesday head coach Carlos Carvalhal has declared himself happy with the club’s business during the transfer window but concedes the Sky Bet Championship will be particularly tough this season.
Wednesday completed the signing of Derby midfielder Jacob Butterfield on Deadline Day and also strengthened their ranks over the summer with the addition of a number of players in key positions.
They included centre-backs Joost van Aken and Frederico Venancio, as the Owls look to secure promotion to the Premier League having narrowly missed out in the previous two campaigns.
"I am very happy with Jacob because he is a quality midfielder and one I have appreciated since I have been in England," Carvalhal told Sky Sports News.
"He knows the competition [Sky Bet Championship] and the way that we play and he will be integrated very easily into our philosophy.
"[Joost] van Aken comes from the Netherlands, a centre-back in our opinion with a bright future.
"He is tall and a very good header [of the ball], fantastically technical in playing the ball out from the back with his left foot.
"He has very good quality but maybe needs older players, like Frederico Venancio. He also plays centre-back, is right-footed and 24-years-old.
"With these two players we have covered the position of centre-back and now we have four and we are very happy with all of them."
Carvalhal is convinced the battle for automatic promotion and play-off places will be particularly tough this season, with a number of high-profile clubs competing in the second-tier of English football.
"This season there are more sides ready to fight for the six positions, nine or 10 clubs that can fight for those six positions," he added.
"It will be harder than in previous seasons. In previous season we did not start well but recovered positions.
"This season we have one more point than this time last season and we believe we will grow as a team.
"The transfer window has now finished and believe me, that was not easy."
Watch Sheffield Wednesday v Nottingham Forest on Saturday. Coverage begins on Sky Sports Football at 5:30pm.
