Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds have been warned of the glaring issue facing Wrexham following promotion to League One.
Wrexham returned to League One for the first time since 2005 as the Reds secured a 6-0 victory over strugglers Forest Green Rovers.
The convincing victory and promotion to the third tier were celebrated from all corners of the globe with Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds penning an emotional message on social media.
Although the Hollywood superstars couldn’t be present for the celebrations at the STōK Cae Ras, the trajectory they’ve led the Reds on is unbelievable.
The challenge that faces the duo is continuing their rise up the pyramid, as it will no doubt become a lot harder now they’re in the third tier of English football.
With promotion now wrapped up, Wrexham can start planning for their next campaign, perhaps making goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo their first permanent signing.
However, the Welsh side are set to face one glaring issue ahead of the summer transfer window.
The glaring issue Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds face at Wrexham
During their time at the club, McElhenney and Reynolds have accelerated a recruitment model that has seen them sign ageing players who have previously played at the highest level.
James McClean and Steven Fletcher, both in their mid to late thirties, arrived at the club last summer having formerly played in the Premier League.
Those two aren’t the only ones entering the twilight years of their careers, with 10 players in Wrexham’s squad aged 30 or over.
This has left Parkinson a huge issue to resolve this summer, as the club switches it’s focus towards signing younger players with higher resale value.
Speaking on the Not The Top 20 podcast, pundit George Elek believes if the Hollywood duo were to continue recruiting ageing players on big wages, they’d have a huge sustainability issue.
“The one question mark I have around Wrexham and it’s not a big deal because they’ve obviously recruited so well for what they’ve done so far,” Elek said.
“You talk about how smart Stockport are with their recruitment, and I agree, with Wrexham it feels a lot more obvious in terms of who they go after like it’s not really diamonds in the rough, it’s just players who are available and probably proven at a higher level who they are able to target.
“And at some point, probably in League One, unless you’re willing to massively invest again and unless Ryan and Rob are keen to turn Wrexham into one of the highest wage bills in League One, I think that hits a bit of a ceiling at some point.”
Wrexham have to recruit younger players
Signing quality older players, such as McClean and Fletcher, has helped fast-track Wrexham into League One.
But as Elek alluded, this recruitment style isn’t sustainable in the long-term and the club must look to sign younger gems who can develop into world-beaters.
Wrexham need to target talented youngsters who are similar in profile to Tom O’Connor, Ryan Barnett and Max Cleworth instead of thinking with the present in mind.
A younger squad that can develop under the watchful eye of Parkinson, is much better than paying over the odds for a player in his thirties who is nearing the end of his career.
If the Reds can transform their focus in the transfer window by recruiting with a long-term goal in mind, the club will be run in a more sustainable manner.