US clubs interested in Sheffield Wednesday record-chaser approaching end of contract

The eight-cap Scotland international has fought his way back to start eight of the Owls’ last nine matches having initially found minutes hard to come by under new boss Danny Röhl. Palmer is the club’s reigning player of the year - he is one of only four men to win the award twice - and has enjoyed a renaissance as a holding midfield player in recent weeks, earning huge plaudits from Röhl for his professionalism and versatility.

The 32-year-old played his 416th game for the Owls in Saturday’s FA Cup win over Cardiff City, a number that puts him 14th in the list of the club’s all-time appearance makers. He has spoken of his desire to climb as high as possible in the list for the club he grew up supporting - he’ll jump alongside Nigel Worthington and Ellis Rimmer into 12th should he feature against Southampton on Saturday - and has the ultimate ambition of chasing Andrew Wilson’s record tally of 546.

The Star understands that the club are in the process of organising a testimonial for Palmer’s 14 years of service to the club’s first team. His current contract runs out at the end of the season after he was handed a one-year extension last summer.

The Star is told by multiple sources that clubs in the MLS and lower down in the US system have shown an interest in taking him to the US at a time when FIFA rules allow foreign clubs to freely negotiate deals with players within six months of their existing contracts. Worksop-born Palmer, a lifelong Wednesday fan who has a young family and business interests in the region, would be able to leave the Hillsborough club on a free transfer basis under FIFA rules, though he has made clear his wish to continue a storied career at S6.

Röhl has suggested he will enter into contract talks with players approaching the end of their current deals in the coming weeks. It is not yet clear what his plans are for Palmer, who together with the likes of captain Barry Bannan is seen as a valued senior head at Middlewood Road. The pair are two of several Owls players approaching the end of their deals at Hillsborough.