Wrexham are closing in on their second signing of the 2025 winter transfer window, which should be a club-record fee.
It hasn’t been an ideal January transfer window for the Red Dragons, who have seen their top-two hopes take a hit in recent weeks amid a lack of improvement.
Wrexham signed Ryan Longman last week and he has since gone on to earn the number 47 shirt and make his debut off the bench against Stevenage.
However, the priority position still remained an issue with no new number nine signed despite Phil Parkinson clearly being in desperate need of attacking reinforcements.
That problem is finally set to be solved, however, with Wrexham set to break their transfer record for Sam Smith.
- READ MORE: Sam Smith or Ollie Palmer? Data shows how Wrexham transfer target is better than struggling striker
Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds generate £3m for Wrexham as Sam Smith deal nears
Since Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds took charge of the club in 2021, the Welsh outfit have broken their transfer record on multiple occasions, including twice in 2024.
Wrexham signed Ollie Rathbone from Rotherham United to break it once in August before doing so again just a couple of weeks later – spending £590,000 on Modou Faal.
Now competing at the top end of League One, the money involved is much greater but the Red Dragons are finally rising to the challenge and matching the likes of Huddersfield Town.
The fee for Smith is expected to be somewhere in the region of £2m – nearly four times what they paid for Faal.
Now, an insight into how the deal could be funded has been provided, with finance expert Kieran Maguire highlighting on X/Twitter that Wrexham have generated just over £3m by issuing a single share.
- READ MORE: Wrexham fans send clear message to Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney following Stevenage loss
Wrexham January spending compared to League One rivals
While McElhenney and Reynolds have previously garnered ire from opposition fans regarding their spending, they are now in League One and competing with teams who seem to have much bigger pockets.
Over the summer, while Wrexham brought in eight new players, they were free agents are six-figure deals.
Birmingham City, meanwhile, spent in excess of £15m just to sign Jay Stansfield, and the big spending in the third tier has continued this month.
As per Transfermarkt, Huddersfield Town have signed five new players for a total expenditure of €4.19m.
Wycombe Wanderers are currently the second biggest spenders with €1.51m, while Wrexham are fourth on the list behind Peterborough United with €590,000 paid out for Longman.
A £2m fee for Smith will, however, make them the second-biggest spenders in League One this window.