Danny Röhl answer deepens Michael Smith mystery as clubs circle on Sheffield Wednesday striker
Michael Smith’s Sheffield Wednesday future has been pushed into further speculation after he sat out their second match on the spin.
The Star revealed last week that League One promotion hopefuls Wrexham had rekindled their interest in the forward after attempting to sign him over the summer. A formal transfer approach is expected in this transfer window and other clubs are believed to be interested.
Smith has proven an effective option for the Owls this season, scoring five times and adding six assists in a campaign that has seen him used most often as a substitute. The likelihood of a transfer is not yet known, though he has failed to make the last two squads named by Danny Röhl - the FA Cup exit at Coventry City last week and Sunday’s defeat at Leeds United.
Save for an August Carabao Cup clash at Grimsby Town, they are the only two matchday squads from which he has been omitted this season and the timing raises speculation Wednesday could be open to a potential deal.
A two-and-a-half year stint at S6 that has seen Smith bag 29 goals and produce 14 assists in his 111 appearances to date. Now 33, target man Smith is believed to be out of contract at the end of the season. Röhl was not willing to go into details when asked of the likelihood of Smith leaving the club this month.
“Let's see,” he said. “What is important is that Michael and I know the situation. And this is enough.”
Asked if he could glean any more information on what that ‘situation’ was, Röhl simply replied: “No.”
The questions come at the turn into an important week for the Owls. After weeks of back-and-forth around the relationship between Röhl and Wednesday owner Dejphon Chansiri, the German coach confirmed the pair would meet for important discussions as the transfer window rolls on. Wednesday have identified targets and deals have been sounded-out but the club are yet to press on with formal discussions.