Why Almen Abdi can guide Sheffield Wednesday to the Premier League

Sheffield Wednesday have confirmed the signing of attacking midfielder Almen Abdi from Watford, for a fee thought to be around £4m (WD Sport) on a three-year contract. 

Having passed his medical on Tuesday evening, Abdi will join his new teammates in training with a few weeks to spar before The Owls host Aston Villa at Hillsborough on August 7.

The 29-year-old, has scored 24 goals in 115 league appearances for the Hornets over a four-year period since his initial arrival on loan from Serie A outfit Udinese back in 2012.

Abdi joins Sheffield Wednesday after making 131 appearances for Watford since 2013 – Photo: Charlotte Wilson / Offside.

The 5ft 11in midfielder, who has an eye for goal, has also been capped by his national side Switzerland on six occasions.

Abdi, who is friends with Fernando Forestieri, is expected to be a breath of fresh air in the Wednesday starting XI.

The dynamic box-to-box midfielder, who is regarded very highly at Championship level, has a exceptional range of passing, contributes defensively due to his high work rate and likes a shot from distance.

Sheffield Wednesday are slowly but surely improving the squad in areas of weakness and are intelligently buying the ‘right’ players who can guide them back to the Promised Land.

Watford fans have remarkably expressed their reluctance after Abdi’s departure knowing he has been a superb player who has now left Vicarage Road with his head held high.

Some Hornets fans have even stated that the Kosovo-born midfielder is better thanForestieri and could single handedly drive Wednesday to an automatic promotion spot.

Although I am sure is a slight exaggeration, I cannot express how delighted I am to have such a remarkable and talented player on the books at Hillsborough.

Hopefully in the 2016/17 season, Abdi can prove to Wednesdayites that the hype on his arrival is worthy and a huge statement of intent by the club.