Sheffield Wednesday receive transfer approaches for forward wanted by Derby County

The Owls have been busy in the opening 10 days of the window so far, with two players having left the club and goalkeeper James Beadle arriving from Brighton & Hove Albion on loan for the remainder of the campaign. Other moves are being made in an effort to tweak the squad more to the liking of manager Danny Röhl as they set about continuing their battle against relegation from the Championship.

Sources now tell The Star that striker Michael Smith is attracting interest from clubs in League One and that approaches have been made to Wednesday enquiring about the possibility of his signing. Smith has recently recovered from injury to play a part in the Owls' last two matches from the bench and the approaches - believed to be enquiries based on free transfers and loan deals - have been rebuffed, it is understood. He is believed to be midway through the second season of a three-year contract at Hillsborough.

Smith was the subject of loan and transfer bids from Derby County in the last window, with his former Rotherham United manager Paul Warne in situ at Pride Park. In an injury-impacted season at S6 he has scored three goals in his 14 league appearances including a match-winning double against the Millers back in September in what was his side's first win of the campaign. He was Wednesday's top scorer last season and has 23 goals and eight assists to his name across 65 appearances.

Wednesday are known to be on the hunt for attackers in the current window. Röhl told The Star that a striker and a winger are on his shopping list, with the club understood to be looking in a range of markets for possible solutions. Smith's forward colleague Lee Gregory is also understood to be of interest to clubs lower in the EFL pyramid. Josh Windass is reportedly of interest to Argentine outfit Atletico Talleres, who can seek a pre-contract agreement as he reaches the final months of his current contract at S6.

Elsewhere in what is becoming an increasingly busy January at Wednesday, John Buckley's loan from Blackburn Rovers has been terminated and Tyreeq Bakinson has headed out on loan to Charlton Athletic, with the club believed to be working on an exit for AC Milan loan stopper Devis Vasquez.

The Star understands contact has also been made with Newcastle United over a potential return for injured loan midfielder Jeff Hendrick while talks are understood to have been had with West Ham midfielder Conor Coventry on a mooted permanent switch. Interest in George Byers is set to be resisted as things stand.