‘Sheffield Wednesday’s rival set to pour salt in wound amid Chansiri chaos’
Sheffield Wednesday have encountered high-profile player exits amid their ongoing ownership crisis overseen by Dejphon Chansiri.
Thanks to Chansiri’s failure to meet his wage obligations, Josh Windass is set to join Wrexham after leaving the Owls on a free transfer.
Striker Michael Smith followed in the attacking midfielder’s footsteps by leaving Hillsborough, by handing in his notice amid the South Yorkshire club’s financial mismanagement.
Football Insider exclusively revealed that Windass won his appeal against Sheffield Wednesday over his notice period.
Preston eye Smith after Sheffield Wednesday exit
Courtesy of the chaos overseen by Chansiri, Sheffield Wednesday supporters are set to witness a tough summer in which their Championship rivals can hoover up the South Yorkshire side’s former and current talents.
While Windass is set to join second-tier new boys Wrexham, the Sheffield Star [21 July] have revealed that Preston North End are interested in Smith.
The Lancashire side are managed by former Wednesday player and ex-Sheffield United boss Paul Heckingbottom.
Smith could be ideal Emil Riis replacement for Preston
Football Insider verdict
Smith’s exit is just one of several hardships Danny Rohl’s men have encountered this summer, as Djeidi Gassama joined Scottish Premiership giants Rangers, while Anthony Musaba has left the Hillsborough club in favour of Turkish outfit Samsunspor.
| Michael Smith stats | Championship 2024/25 |
| Appearances | 41 |
| Starts | 16 |
| Goals | 8 |
| Assists | 4 |
But from Preston’s point of view, acquiring Smith on a free transfer would be an incredibly shrewd piece of business after losing Emil Riis to Championship rivals Bristol City.
The 27-year-old scored 12 goals in the second tier last term for a North End side who only avoided relegation to League One by one point.
Meanwhile, Smith notched a decent return of eight goals and four assists for Wednesday in the Championship last season, despite being handed just 16 league starts by Rohl.
The 33-year-old could become a more regular feature on the scoresheet if Heckingbottom hands him more game time than the Owls did last term.
Preston are vying to trouble the top-half of the Championship table once again, having enjoyed a 10th-place finish under former boss Ryan Lowe in 2023/24.