Wrexham fans are waiting patiently for the new signings to start flooding in, with only two to speak of so far this summer.
Wrexham have made a steady, if a slightly slow start to the summer transfer window, having signed only Ryan Hardie and Danny Ward so far.
Hardie joined from Plymouth Argyle in a £700,000 deal and looks like a very solid signing. Meanwhile, Wrexham have signed Ward on a free transfer and he looks a useful backup option for no.1 Arthur Okonkwo going into next season.
But Wrexham fans may feel like the current squad is still lacking. The Championship will be Phil Parkinson’s toughest test yet and he desperately needs a few more players with proven Championship quality if his side are to stand up to the challenge next season.
There’s no end of players linked with a move to Wrexham this summer. But there seems to be a distinct lack of players seemingly close to signing, bar Lewis O’Brien, with reports that Wrexham have agreed a £5million fee for O’Brien, but that wages are proving to be an obstacle.
Wrexham transfer target Patrick Bamford tipped to leave Leeds United
One name who the Dragons have liked for some time now is Patrick Bamford. Wrexham wanted to sign Bamford from Leeds United last January, but a deal never materialised. Going into this summer, Wrexham’s links with the one-time former England striker have been reignited, and following Leeds’ promotion it looks like Bamford could be on the move.
Speaking to MOT Leeds News, former England and Leeds United goalkeeper Paul Robinson has backed Bamford to be on the move this summer, along with Birmingham City target Mateo Joseph too.
Robinson said: “I think, potentially, Matteo Joseph could be one that moves on, as much as I like him. I think he’s a good player. There were bids that came in for him in January. Patrick Bamford will be another one.”
What Phil Parkinson has said about incoming Wrexham transfers
Right now the players are in Australia for their pre-season tour down under. Speaking from there, Parkinson says he’s working on new Wrexham signings as we speak. He explained: “We’re having several meetings. What you see today on the training pitch, there’s a lot of work going on behind the scenes. It’s never easy getting players.
“Even though a lot of players want to come to play for Wrexham, prying good players away from clubs who don’t want to sell them is never easy. But we’re trying our best.”
And Bamford has spoken about his Leeds United future already this summer. The 31-year-old said: “I’d like to play for one as long as I still enjoy it and two I can still stay at a good level. I think, I reckon I’ve still got a good five years and I feel alright now but as soon as one of them two goes I think I’d then say I’m not going to force it.”
With Bamford still looking as likely as ever to leave Elland Road this summer, Wrexham need to be ready to step up and make him an offer he can’t refuse.
Wrexham will pay players up to £30,000-a-week in wages this summer. But Bamford is understood to be earning more than £40,000-a-week following a promotion pay rise and with a year left on his contract, it could take a lot of persuading to get him to the Racecourse.