Wrexham snapped up not one but two new strikers in the January transfer window as Phil Parkinson chases another promotion.
Promotion to the Championship was a mere pipe dream for Wrexham fans just five years ago.
The meteoric rise under Phil Parkinson, Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds has seen Wrexham land two promotions in a row.
A third is now the target with Wrexham sitting third in the League One table.
Wrexham started 2025 in unconvincing fashion though and some poor results sparked new signings.
Wing back Ryan Longman arrived from Hull City before Wrexham snapped up two strikers last Friday.
Phil Parkinson ‘headache’ suggested after Wrexham signings
Shaun Harvey indicated that Wrexham could spend in January and that proved to be the case.
Longman cost around £500,000 before Wrexham signed Sam Smith from Reading in a club-record deal.
The ink was only just drying on Smith’s seven-figure move to the STōK Cae Ras when Jay Rodriguez arrived from Burnley too.
Those deals – combined with Ollie Palmer staying put despite attracting interest – mean that Wrexham are now carrying seven centre forwards.
Smith and Rodriguez join Palmer, Paul Mullin, Jack Marriott, Steven Fletcher and Modou Faal at Parkinson’s disposal.
Wycombe Wanderers are one of Wrexham’s top rivals for promotion and their striker Sam Vokes has commented on Wrexham’s business.
Former Wales international Vokes told Feast of Football that he thinks Longman, Smith and Rodriguez are ‘great signings’ for Wrexham.
Vokes added that he sees Smith and Rodriguez as ‘statement signings’ and couldn’t actually believe that Wrexham were adding more attacking talent.
Vokes thinks that Parkinson may now face ‘a few headaches’ as he attempts to keep seven strikers happy at the STōK Cae Ras.
“Two great signings, three great signings from Wrexham,” said Vokes.
“I know Jay Rodriguez very well, I played alongside him in his first stint at Burnley, before he came back, it’s a great signing for them.
“Statement signings, I think, to the rest of the league, but we’ve talked about the strength of their striker’s union up at Wrexham, and I couldn’t believe it when I saw they were adding to that.
“Lots of battles, it’s a few headaches, I think, for Parkinson but he’s had that all season with the size of their squad and the strength of their squad as well,” he added.
Wrexham strikers ready for battle
Wrexham certainly have striking options that many League One clubs could only dream of having at their disposal.
We certainly loved the Smith move; a proven League One goalscorer who may be ready to make a step up to the Championship in the near future.
Signing Rodriguez was a little more surprising given that Wrexham have other experienced strikers but Parkinson will have thought long and hard about the move.
Mullin hasn’t been at his best this season, Palmer hasn’t been prolific in front of goal either, Marriott is only just back from injury, Fletcher is arguably better off the bench and Faal is viewed as a project for the future.
When you look at Wrexham’s options like that, the attacking additions at least make some sense.
Wrexham can’t carry seven strikers into next season and somebody will surely have to move on this summer, but Parkinson will leave the competition open to his crop of strikers; may the best man win.