Former Sheffield Wednesday player Devis Vasquez has secured a move to a top-tier European club, despite a challenging period during his time at S6.

When Danny Röhl took charge at Sheffield Wednesday, he was tasked with revitalizing a squad that had underperformed significantly. Röhl managed to turn things around, making key changes that former boss Xisco Muñoz had failed to implement. While Muñoz struggled to secure victories, Röhl’s adjustments helped the team improve, including benching key players like Jeff Hendrick, who had been a mainstay under Muñoz.

One player who struggled for game time under Röhl was goalkeeper Devis Vasquez, who has now landed an exciting opportunity with Empoli in Serie A. The Colombian goalkeeper has joined the Italian club on loan, with a reported €1 million (£840,000) option to buy, according to Calcio Mercato.

Vasquez made nine consecutive Championship appearances early in the season before losing his spot to Cameron Dawson. Although he recorded a clean sheet in a 0-0 draw against Leeds United and played in a 1-0 defeat to Ipswich Town, his performances led to his loan being cut short in January.

Röhl’s decision to replace Vasquez with young James Beadle was notably audacious. At the time, Beadle, who had been playing in League One with Oxford United, was just 19 years old. Despite Beadle’s inexperience compared to Dawson’s, Röhl’s trust in him paid off. Beadle became a pivotal figure in Sheffield Wednesday’s successful fight against relegation, particularly with his crucial clean sheets in the final two matches of the season against West Brom and Sunderland.

Beadle has since secured another loan move to Sheffield Wednesday, and Röhl can now be assured of his goalkeeper’s capability to perform at Championship level and potentially beyond.