Wrexham manager confirms upcoming transfer talks with Ryan Reynolds & Rob McElhenney
Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson will consult with co-owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney about summer transfer business following the club’s promotion back into the EFL.
The Welsh team, taken over by the pair of actors in late 2020, secured top spot in the National League – and the automatic promotion it brings – with Saturday’s 3-1 win over Boreham Wood.
Wrexham, one of the oldest clubs on the English football league ladder, have been out of the EFL since 2008 and narrowly missed out on promotion last season when they finished second to Stockport County and subsequently fell short in the play-offs.
They have historically been a third and fourth tier team, with their 2008 relegation from League Two marking the end of 86 unbroken years in the EFL. The highest Wrexham have ever been is a four-season stint in what is now the Championship between 1978 and 1982.
Now, with promotion into League Two just the first step, ambitions are high.
“We'll speak to the owners about what we feel we need to improve going forward,” Parkinson said. "Myself and Shaun Harvey [advisor to the board] had a chat this morning about contracts of players who are up. We'll touch base again towards the end of the week on that.
"We've got a strong squad that we will have to improve but not by a lot. We'll be looking straight away at players and how the transfer market is looking of course. A lot of movement doesn't take place until July and it's more about sounding players out and monitoring all the situations.
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"We've got some quality players and I think we've got to be careful not to get too ahead of ourselves. We've got to make sure we go into the new season maintaining the incredible work ethic we've got in the group and from the staff. I think we'll be challenging [for promotion to League One] but I'll know more when I get into pre-season and see the shape of the squad."
The aforementioned Stockport were in a similar position this time last year and have shown it is possible to immediately challenge for promotion again. The Hatters sit fourth in League Two, the first position outside the automatic promotion places, in their first season at that level since 2011.
Reynolds and McElhenney have already invested heavily in Wrexham. Parkinson had previously managed in the Championship, League One and League Two, dropping down two divisions from his most recent job to take the Wrexham position in 2021. Meanwhile, star striker Paul Mullin had been the top scorer in League Two by some distance the season immediately prior to joining Wrexham.
Ollie Palmer, Callum McFadzean and Ben Tozer were all playing in League One when Wrexham recruited them, dropping two divisions to the National League. Elliot Lee had also been on loan in League One but was under contract at Championship side Luton. Ben Foster came out of retirement in March to join Wrexham but had been playing in the Premier League for Watford last season.
Work has also already started on a redevelopment of the historic Racecourse Ground, which was brought back into club ownership by Reynolds and McElhenney in 2022 for the first time since 2011. Unless a stadium move is necessary to meet the growing needs of the club, the Racecourse will remain their home until at least 2115 as per the terms of the freehold.