Wrexham had a very busy summer transfer window on the incomings and outgoings front.
The Red Dragons are now in the midst of their first-ever campaign in League One, currently sitting second in the division.
Wrexham fans did not likely expect their club to start the season so well, but a lot of credit should given to the likes of Phil Parkinson and owners Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds for the work they have put in to build up the squad.
Ollie Rathbone left Rotherham United for Wrexham in a £500,000 move that was, at least for a few weeks, the most money the club had ever spent on a player.
The Welsh outfit then smashed their transfer record once more on August 30th when Wrexham confirmed the signing of West Bromwich Albion striker Modou Faal on a three-year deal for £590,000.
All told, Wrexham secured the signing of new nine players in the 2024 summer transfer window.
Shaun Harvey message to Wrexham players Phil Parkinson chose to axe
While much of the focus has been on the incomings at the Racecourse Ground this year, several long-time servants departed the club.
Aaron Hayden, Luke Young, Ben Tozer, Jordan Tunnicliffe, Scott Butler and Owen Cushion all left the club on free transfers after Parkinson and co. opted not to offer them new contracts.
Now, Wrexham chief Shaun Harvey, as per Leader Live, has opened up on the realities of letting player’s contracts run down and sent a clear message to the now-axed stars, stating that while they were good enough to play in 2024/25, the club’s ambition meant they had to leave.
He said: “In reality, the planning for this season started three years ago.
“Three years ago, we had no idea which division we were going to be playing in but in that first summer of Rob and Ryan’s ownership, the club gave numerous players three-year contracts who we felt were best placed to start this wonderful journey that the club is on.
“We always knew that the likes of Ben Tozer, Aaron Hayden and others would be out of contract this summer and if the club was going to be successful, we would have to review whether we needed to replace them going forward, and that was the decision that was made.
“That is not a reflection on them. All of the players who left could have played a part this season because they were certainly good enough.
“It is just that our ambition and the journey that we were on was moving on as well.
“We are two divisions higher than when they came in, which is credit to them. We will be forever thankful to Ben, Aaron and that group of players
“It is a perverse world where you deliver everything that was asked of you and had success, but that is the thing that counts against you.”
- READ MORE: Wrexham record signing Modou Faal explains reason behind lack of playing time under Phil Parkinson
Shaun Harvey verdict on Wrexham transfer window
In the same interview, the club chief gave his verdict on Wrexham’s 2024 summer transfer window.
And while Harvey claimed some people are saying it is their best ever, he is not the person to judge that.
He added: “People have said to me that they believe this window was the club’s best ever window.
“I’m not the person to judge that but players had to leave to enable us to strengthen to keep going forward and continually improve, and I think this season we are seeing the real benefits of that.”
As a whole, it was a productive few months in the market for the recently promoted side but Reynolds’ and McElhenney’s biggest Wrexham transfer mistake from 2024 is clear after 10 games of the 2024/25 season.