Sven plays down Owls' Howard link

Leicester City manager Sven-Goran Eriksson has poured cold water over rumours linking Foxes striker Steve Howard with a summer move to Wednesday.

Howard has been tipped for a move away from the npower Championship club over the close season, with Eriksson pondering a permanent swoop for Everton's Yakubu, with Wednesday linked with a summer swoop.

But, although the experienced forward dropped down the Foxes' pecking order towards the end of the season, Eriksson has played down the rumours.

When asked about the links to Wednesday, Eriksson told BBC Radio Leicester: 'He's our player and has a contract for one more year.'

Although the City boss has far from ruled out a move away from the Walkers Stadium, it seems Eriksson has no hung the former Luton Town man totally out to dry, despite having one of the biggest budgets in the Championship to work with.

Leicester will have to part with at least £2m to get Yakubu, who's been on loan with the Foxes this season, on a permanent basis, while Fulham's Diomansy Kamara has also been on-loan at the Walkers. Eriksson signed former England international Darius Vassell earlier in the season.

Owls boss Gary Megson will target six new additions to his squad this summer as he looks to shape Wednesday up for a promotion push in League One.

A striker is thought to be on his wishlist, although the main target in attack could be Neil Mellor, who has returned to parent club Preston North End after a successful loan stint in S6 this term.

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