Wrexham are being linked with Craig Dawson this summer, but Phil Parkinson may want to check in on why the Wolves defender was excluded from training with the Molineux outfit this season.
Naturally, the summer is a time of change, and Wrexham are the subject of multiple rumours with a number of Premier League free agents connected with a move to the Racecourse Ground.
With a campaign in the Championship on the horizon — Wrexham’s first time back in the second tier for 43 years — there’s plenty of work to be done.
Craig Dawson has been mooted as an option for Wrexham this summer, but they’ll face competition from Derby County.
But, the Red Dragons will have to consider exactly why the veteran defender is being moved on by Wolves.
What happened to Craig Dawson at Wolves?
Despite being a key player for Wolves under Gary O’Neil, Dawson was sidelined under new boss Vitor Pereira and was left out of the matchday squad for the final 14 games of the campaign.
Turns out, Dawson was not even allowed to train with the first team anymore, with Pereira explaining his decision via the Express and Star.
Pereira said: “I had the conversation [with him] before and after that I haven’t see him again. What I have to say about Craig, I said before. He’s not part of the group and now it’s something between him and the club.”
Clearly, Pereira decided instantly that Dawson was not his kind of player, and the centre-half has known for some time that he would become a free agent.
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Is Craig Dawson the right fit for Wrexham?
Dawson has forged a solid career for himself in the top flight, turning out for the likes of West Brom, Watford, and West Ham as well as Wolves. Clearly, he loves a team beginning with the letter W, which also bodes well for a Wrexham move.
With 14 years in the Premier League and over 300 appearances at the top level, there can be no doubting Dawson’s pedigree, and he could certainly do a job for Phil Parkinson’s side.
Based on Ben Foster’s recollection of Dawson’s style, he’s the kind of combative and no-nonsense defender Wrexham would love to have, too.
Obviously, the only concerns are his age and more physical attributes, but it’s fair to say pace has never really been a part of Dawson’s game anyway.
We could also see someone like Dawson come in and help Max Cleworth develop, as something of a mentor to the young Wrexham defender.