Update on Derby County’s pursuit of Sheffield Wednesday man Michael Smith - interest in Sheffield United legend

The Star revealed that the 31-year-old, who scored 20 times across all competitions as the Owls were promoted from League One, was the subject of a loan bid from the Rams.

Smith was an unused substitute in Wednesday’s late opening day defeat at home to Southampton on Friday.

It is The Star’s understanding that the loan approach has been rejected by Wednesday, with Smith set to play a part in Xisco’s plans going into the second season of what was widely reported to be a three-year contract.

Derby have had a busy summer with the additions of the likes of Sonny Bradley, Curtis Nelson, Callum Elder, Conor Washington, Kane Wilson, Josh Vickers and Joe Ward.

A transfer embargo was lifted on the League One club in May, but with a healthy financial outlay already committed over the past few weeks, it was the Rams’ preference to take the loan route rather than pay out any transfer fee.

A return bid is not believed to have yet materialised and Derby have since been linked with other strikers as Warne looks to bring more firepower to their promotion push.

One of the names said to be considered is free agent former Sheffield United man Billy Sharp. The 37-year-old has been linked with a host of clubs having made clear he wishes to continue playing after his release from Bramall Lane this summer.

Asked about reports of interest in Smith after Wednesday’s defeat to Southampton, Xisco said: “I don’t know anything about this link. Right now I’m preferring to speak about the players who could be coming in, not out.

“If you start thinking about [players] going out then you give me problems! I need players in.

“With the team we have, everybody is here and after we will see. But the most important thing is to give me names to maybe come in and not this other kind of news. This would be a problem.”