Sheffield Wednesday: Surprise Danny Rohl call hints at Wrexham AFC transfer frustration - View | OneFootball

Sheffield Wednesday striker Michael Smith has been linked with a move to Wrexham.

Highlights

Sheffield Wednesday striker Michael Smith is facing an uncertain future with just over a week of the transfer window remaining.

Smith joined the Owls from Rotherham United in June 2022, and he played a crucial role in his side's promotion from League One in his first year at Hillsborough, but his game time has been limited in the Championship.

Derby County were reportedly keen to sign Smith on loan in January, but a move to Pride Park did not materialise, and although he did not feature regularly in the second half of last season, Smith was an important part of the squad as Wednesday secured survival.

After the Owls signed three new strikers this summer in Jamal Lowe, Charlie McNeill and Ike Ugbo, many had expected Smith to depart, and he has been the subject of interest from elsewhere.

Michael Smith to Wrexham latest

According to The Star, Smith is on the radar of "a handful of EFL clubs", including newly-promoted League One side Wrexham.

The Red Dragons have "had contact with Wednesday over a possible deal", but the two clubs are said to be "some way off an agreement", and there is not believed to have been any further progress in recent days.

It remains to be seen whether Wrexham will make a formal offer for Smith, but they are known to have vast financial resources under the ownership of Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.

It has been claimed that Smith's departure from Hillsborough is "possible" before the end of the window, and should the Red Dragons meet the Owls' valuation, they could be tempted to cash in on him.

However, while it looked inevitable that Smith would be leaving the club earlier in the summer, his involvement in the opening few games of the season has cast doubt on his potential exit.

Smith came off the bench to score the final goal in Wednesday's 4-0 win over Plymouth Argyle on the opening weekend, and many had assumed that would be his farewell appearance for the club.

However, Smith started and provided an assist in the 2-1 victory at Hull City in the EFL Cup on Wednesday night, and eyebrows were raised when he was introduced at half time in the 4-0 defeat at Sunderland on Sunday.

With the Owls trailing 3-0 at the break, Smith was brought on ahead of McNeill and Ugbo, which was a surprise given that the former had scored twice against Hull in midweek and the latter had recently re-signed from Troyes for a reported fee in the region of £3 million.

Ugbo is unlikely to be match fit given his lack of a pre-season, which could explain why he was overlooked, and Rohl may not have felt it was the right time to introduce McNeill to Championship action, but it was a big call from the German to opt for Smith.

When asked about the reason for Smith's introduction, Rohl told The Star: "It was a tactical thing.

"This was the reason I took him."

Rohl is keen to implement a more possession-based style of play this season, but his admission that different profiles are needed could hint that Smith may be set to remain at Hillsborough, and there is no doubt that he would be useful when Wednesday take a more direct approach.

However, the Owls are reportedly still in the market for further reinforcements in the forward areas, so any new additions could see Rohl sanction Smith's departure, and if he cannot be guaranteed regular game time, the striker may be keen to make the move to Wrexham as they target a third consecutive promotion.