Former midfielder Jose Semedo told the WTID Podcast how he rejected the chance to join Derby County in favour of staying at Sheffield Wednesday back in 2013.
Semedo, now 36, is a former Portugal U21 international.
He joined the Owls from Charlton Athletic in 2011 and helped the club to promotion from League One in his first campaign, winning the PFA Fans’ Player of the Year award.
Semedo then helped consolidate the Owls in the Championship.
Speaking to the WTID Podcast, he then claims Derby contacted him over a move to Pride Park but he instead opted to stay and fight for promotion at Hillsborough.
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“I had to prove myself to play in that division [2012-13 season]. I remember after that year I had Derby County contact me. But I had a contract with Sheffield Wednesday and I had a strong belief to play for Wednesday in the Premier League. It was that close to get there, losing in the playoff final,” Semedo explained.
Derby at the time were managed by Nigel Clough.
The Rams had just finished in the top half of the Championship and looked set for a playoff challenge with youngsters Jeff Hendrick and Will Hughes leading the way.
Derby, however, lacked a specialist holding midfielder to compete with John Eustace who in his mid-thirties was unlikely to play every week in a gruelling Championship campaign.
Semedo seemingly fit the profile. However, he remained with the Owls.
Clough was dismissed early in the 2013-14 campaign, and his replacement Steve McClaren guided Derby to the playoff final only to fall to a last-gasp defeat to Queens Park Rangers.
Semedo also reached a playoff final with the Owls in 2015-16, but a 1-0 defeat to Hull City ensued and the Portuguese midfielder ended up leaving the club a year later.
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