Sheffield Wednesday: Luton Town showing justifies Wrexham summer transfer call - View | OneFootball

Sheffield Wednesday will be glad they kept hold of striker Michael Smith following summer interest from Wrexham.

It has been a disappointing start to the season for Sheffield Wednesday in the Championship.

Wednesday achieved safety last season following a remarkable turnaround under Danny Rohl, and there was plenty of hope that they could climb the table this campaign, but it has not worked out that way so far.

The Owls got their season off to the perfect start with a 4-0 home win over Plymouth Argyle on the opening weekend, but they have found it much tougher since then, and they suffered their fourth defeat in five games as they were beaten 2-1 by Luton Town at Kenilworth Road on Saturday.

After a dominant first half, Wednesday deservedly took the lead shortly after the break when Barry Bannan volleyed home from Yan Valery's cross, but the game changed in the 74th minute when Luton were awarded a penalty and Di'Shon Bernard was sent off after he was controversially adjudged to have handled the ball in the box.

Carlton Morris converted the resulting spot-kick, and with just two minutes of normal time remaining, the striker added his second from close range to seal all three points for the Hatters.

It was a harsh defeat for the Owls, but they are now in the relegation zone, and it does not get much easier for them with a game against league leaders West Bromwich Albion to come at Hillsborough on Saturday.

Despite the loss, there were many positives for Wednesday to take from the game against Luton, including the performance of striker Michael Smith, who was widely expected to leave the club during the summer transfer window.

Michael Smith to Wrexham speculation

Smith joined the Owls from Rotherham United in the summer of 2022, and he scored 20 goals and provided eight assists in 49 games to help the club to promotion in his first season at Hillsborough.

However, Smith's game time became limited in the Championship, and he was linked with a loan move to Derby County in January, but a deal did not materialise.

Smith played an important part in Wednesday's survival in the second half of last season, but after he scored just four goals in 34 appearances over the course of the campaign, it seemed certain that he would depart this summer.

Ambitious League One promotion hopefuls Wrexham were said to be among a number of EFL clubs interested in Smith, but once again he remained in South Yorkshire, and based on the early season evidence, he could have a bigger role to play than many had imagined.

Michael Smith could be crucial for Sheffield Wednesday this season

Smith came off the bench to score Wednesday's final goal in their win over Plymouth on the opening weekend in what was assumed to be his farewell appearance for the club, but he continued to feature regularly over the coming weeks, suggesting that he was still a big part of Rohl's plans.

After a number of bright substitute appearances, Smith was handed his first start of the season against Luton on Saturday, and his physicality and aerial presence proved to be useful against a strong Hatters defence.

Rohl attempted to change to a possession-based style of play at the start of the season, but after some comprehensive defeats, he has reverted back to the more direct approach that was successful in the second half of the last campaign, and that brand of football is perfectly suited to Smith.

Ike Ugbo re-joined the Owls from Troyes for a reported fee in the region of £3 million this summer, but he has struggled to rediscover the form he showed during his loan spell last season, scoring just once in seven games so far this term, while fellow new addition Jamal Lowe has found the back of the net twice.

Another summer signing, Charlie McNeill, scored twice on his debut in the 2-1 win at Hull City in the EFL Cup last month, but he is yet to feature in the league, which indicates that Rohl does not feel he is ready for the Championship just yet.

Smith may have only scored once in eight games this season, but his all-round game has been excellent, underlined by the fact he has already registered three assists, and he made a compelling case to keep his place in the team with his performance at Kenilworth Road.

Given the significant transfer fee the club paid for him, it seems likely that Ugbo will be Rohl's first choice striker in the long-term, but Smith has given his manager a headache ahead of the game against West Brom this weekend.

After looking destined to leave this summer, it has been an impressive turnaround in fortunes for Smith, and Wednesday will certainly be relieved that they did not sanction the 32-year-old's exit.