Sheffield Wednesday's players have refused to play in a pre-season friendly against Burnley after not receiving their wages on time. The friendly, which was scheduled to take place this weekend, was cancelled after players and coaching staff decided to boycott the match due to the late payment of their July salaries.

This is reportedly the fourth time in the last five months that the players' wages have been delayed. They were also paid late in May and June. The players were informed yesterday afternoon that they would not receive their July wages on time, which led to an angry response and discussions about refusing to play in the friendly. Sources indicate that the players are particularly upset by the lack of direct communication from owner Dejphon Chansiri, with some having to find funds to cover personal financial obligations due to the late wage payments.

The club recently appointed Henrik Pedersen as their new head coach following the departure of Danny Rohl. Rohl's exit on Tuesday came amidst a chaotic summer for Wednesday, who are currently under an English Football League (EFL) embargo due to unpaid transfer fees. Chansiri is reportedly trying to sell the club, which is facing financial difficulties.

There is growing concern within the EFL regarding the situation at Sheffield Wednesday. Concerns extend to whether Wednesday will be able to fulfil their opening Sky Bet Championship fixture at Leicester on August 10. A refusal to play in their Championship opener at Leicester City next weekend has not been ruled out, with contractual logistics being considered by some players alongside the fixture's heightened importance to the club itself. At this stage, a block refusal to play is considered unlikely.

Chansiri took over the club from Milan Mandaric in January 2015 for a reported £30 million. The club twice came close to promotion to the Premier League, losing in the play-offs in 2016 and 2017. Since then, Wednesday has faced several financial crises. They were first placed under an EFL embargo in 2017 for violating profitability and sustainability rules and were docked 12 points, which was later reduced to six on appeal.

The players' refusal to play in the friendly is believed to be a public demonstration of their frustration with the situation at the club. It is understood that Burnley had offered to cover the hotel costs for Wednesday's staff as part of the agreement to move the friendly to an earlier time.