A Sheffield Wednesday veteran looks to be pushing for a move away this month.
Sheffield Wednesday have already offloaded Tyreeq Bakinson on loan to Charlton Athletic, and could now be set to allow another star to leave the club until the end of the season.
Michael Smith has attracted interest from Derby County in recent weeks, despite missing the best part of two months due to injury.
Michael Smith proved to be a key part of Sheffield Wednesday’s promotion last season, netting 16 goals and providing six assists in League One.
The 32-year-old hasn’t enjoyed as much success in the Championship though, starting only seven games and scoring three goals.
Smith has featured for only 27 minutes since November due to injury problems, though he did return to the squad for the 3-1 win over Hull City on New Year’s Day.
His record in the third tier has caught the eye of Derby County, with reports last week claiming that a move to Pride Park would ‘get done’ before deadline day.
The latest update from BBC Sport reported that The Rams had now submitted a loan bid for the striker, however Sheffield Wednesday are demanding an ‘excessive fee’ on top of the wage contribution.
It is proving a difficult deal to get done for the League One club, but journalist Darren Witcoop has tipped ‘keen’ Smith to push a move through.
Writing on X, Witcoop said: “Sheffield Wednesday striker Michael Smith is keen to work with Paul Warne at Derby. Do think that loan deal gets done before deadline once the financial figures are met by both clubs.”
Will Michael Smith get his wish?
Given the arrival of Ike Ugbo this month, it would be surprising to see Michael Smith still at Hillsborough in February.
The 32-year-old is much better suited to League One and is clearly eager to pick up more minutes with Derby County, while his game time with The Owls isn’t likely to pick up anytime soon.
Whether The Rams will be willing to pay a giant fee to bring him in is another question, but I imagine the two clubs will be able to come to some sort of agreement if it is in the player’s best interest to make the switch.