The exciting possibilities that show why Sheffield Wednesday are so keen on Hull City man Mallik Wilks

But after a season that saw them light up League One by overcoming a slow start to score 76 goals – only four teams scored more – the question now is more how they go about getting the best out of themselves going forward.

In Lee Gregory the Owls have a number nine feared throughout the division for his clever movement and finishing and in Josh Windass a fast-moving attacker who can join attacks from deep or play ‘in behind’ defenders.

Gregory contributed 22 league goal contributions last season (16 goals, six assists); Windass six (four goals, two assists) in just 365 minutes of League One football.

You have to go back to the 1993/94 season and Mark Bright to find the last time Wednesday’s top goalscorer in the league scored more than Gregory and Wednesday weren't promoted; Steven MacLean scored 18 in 2004/05 and Gary Madine 18 in 2011/12.

So to this season, the addition of Michael Smith and what might come next, with the Owls retaining a strong interest in Mallik Wilks, who scored 22 goals as Hull won League One in 2020/21.

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Smith scored 24 goals last season, 18 in the league, as Rotherham completed promotion alongside a Wembley win in the Papa Johns Trophy.

Tactically, his addition offers the chance for Wednesday to play Smith alongside Gregory as a second target man and have Josh Windass in a number 10 role, with Barry Bannan effectively operating high up the field behind a three-man attack.

Sylla Sow played the first half of Saturday’s run-out at Alfreton and was deployed on the shoulder for the most part, a role that could be left open for Wilks as it was so successfully when he played there for Hull in the title-winning season back in 2021/22.

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It would also offer the switch-up option to play Wilks and Windass either side of a front man in a three-man attack.

Wilks’ addition – though it is still a way from completion – would mean they have four front men capable of scoring 20 goals at this level, all with their own skillset.

It’s been a while since Wednesday have been able to make that claim.