Josh Windass is set to undergo a medical with Wrexham, and if everything goes to plan, the Red Dragons may just have pulled off one of their greatest ever signings.
Wrexham have been linked with Windass for some time now, with the attacker’s future having been in doubt for the last seven months or so.
His contract at Sheffield Wednesday was extended earlier this summer, but given all the chaos going on in S6 right now, Windass was able to terminate his own contract and depart for free last week.
Windass is due for a medical at Wrexham, having already agreed personal terms, and while other Championship clubs are keen he seems destined for the Racecourse Ground.
Why Josh Windass is the perfect signing for Wrexham this summer
Josh Windass has Championship experience
One thing that has been cited as a big priority for Wrexham this summer is to find players that have Championship experience. Josh Windass has that in bucket loads.
Across his career, Windass has racked up 173 appearances in the second tier, with 40 goals and 17 assists. Aside from his time at Wigan Athletic and Wednesday, he’s also played for Rangers in the SPL.
At 31-years-old, Windass is no spring chicken, but he brings vast knowledge of the division and the pedigree required to take the Wrexham squad to the next level.
Versatility will make Josh Windass a key member of the Wrexham squad
It’s hard to pin down Windass’ best position, really. He has spent much of his career as a forward, but has operated out wide or in the 10 role behind the strikers for Sheffield Wednesday over the last two seasons.
It’s very likely Phil Parkinson will play Windass in that pocket of space and give him a bit of a free role. Windass is an intelligent and hard-working player who knows where he needs to be at any given time, and Parkinson will trust him in that regard.
For Wrexham, this is almost three signings in one. Windass could not only be the main playmaker for the Red Dragons, but can also provide cover and competition for the strikers and the wingers. That kind of squad depth will be vital for Wrexham in 2025/26.
- READ MORE: When Wrexham will find out if Josh Windass is going to join them after Sheffield Wednesday exit
Rob Mac and Ryan Reynolds will love Josh Windass
It’s not just Parkinson who will love Josh Windass. The former Owls star brings with him a real swagger and unique personality, and he will be more than happy to step into the spotlight for Wrexham.
In that regard, he’s very much a commercial dream for Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, who will no doubt put Windass front and centre of the next series of Welcome to Wrexham.
Windass is great entertainment value; whether that be on-field antics and playful sportsmanship, or his honesty off the pitch. In many ways, Windass could fill the void left behind by Paul Mullin.
Wrexham are lacking creativity, Josh Windass will deliver that
With 13 goals and six assists to his name last term, it’s clear Josh Windass has goal contributions in him, and Wrexham will desperately need that.
If we compare Windass to Tom Lawrence, who Wrexham have been linked with time and time again, there’s one clear winner. Lawrence registered just six goals and two assists last season, although he did play 24 games less than Windass across the campaign.
On a more granular level, we can look at shots created and goals created per 90 minutes for both players.
In terms of shot-creating actions, Lawrence does trump Windass with 3.14 versus 2.93 for the former Wednesday ace. However, for goal-creating actions, Windass wins with 0.34 per 90 while Lawrence actually clocked in at 0.00 (as per FBRef).
Wrexham have picked up a bargain with Josh Windass
Everyone says that to stay in the Championship, or indeed to thrive at this level, Wrexham would need to spend big money. Especially when you look at the likes of Norwich City and Birmingham so far this summer, there are clubs looking to buy their way out of this league.
Wrexham have the cash to splash, that’s for sure. And they most certainly will spend a lot more before the summer is over. But, the signing of Josh Windass on a free transfer proves that quality doesn’t have to cost a fortune.
Obviously, we have to caveat with the fact that, were it not for the mess at Sheffield Wednesday, Wrexham would have had to pay around £1m for Windass. But, credit must go to Wrexham for being poised and ready to snap him up when the opportunity arose.
In terms of value for money, if Windass delivers what we know he can do next season, he could end up being pound-for-pound the best signing of the summer for Wrexham — and just maybe for any team in the league.