A long-absent Sheffield Wednesday player may finally be nearing his return to competitive action, with winger Olaf Kobacki edging closer to featuring again after a prolonged spell on the sidelines.
Sheffield Wednesday head coach Henrik Pedersen has revealed that Kobacki is expected to make his long-awaited comeback in the near future, following several months out due to injury. The 24-year-old wide man, who arrived at Hillsborough from Polish outfit Arka Gdynia in July 2024, has not played since September after suffering a groin problem. His last outing came in Wednesday’s narrow 1–0 defeat to Grimsby Town in the third round of the Carabao Cup at Hillsborough.
Encouragingly, Kobacki has made notable progress in his recovery over recent weeks. That improvement has been reflected in his inclusion in the matchday squad for each of Wednesday’s last two fixtures, where he was named on the substitutes’ bench. His involvement at that level suggests he is edging ever closer to a return on the pitch.
This potential boost comes at a time when Wednesday remain stretched for options. Although the club were permitted to sign up to six players during the winter transfer window, most of those moves were conducted on a one-in, one-out basis, meaning the overall size of the squad has not grown. Ongoing injury issues have further limited Pedersen’s available resources, with several important players still unavailable.
Nevertheless, Kobacki’s consecutive appearances in matchday squads have given Pedersen confidence that the winger will soon be ready to feature again for the first time since mid-September.
Speaking about the plan for Kobacki’s reintegration, Pedersen explained that the player is likely to be eased back gradually. He indicated that Kobacki should receive some minutes in the near future, but stressed the importance of caution after such a long absence. Pedersen highlighted that being medically fit is only one aspect of recovery, as players returning from lengthy layoffs also face an increased risk of suffering a setback. With the team having already endured several injury relapses this season, the manager is keen to show patience and manage Kobacki’s return carefully.
Pedersen also addressed whether Kobacki might first gain match fitness with the club’s Under-21 side. He confirmed that the winger had been due to play in last Tuesday’s Under-21 fixture against Wigan Athletic, but that match was unfortunately postponed, delaying his planned return to action at that level.
