Wrexham’s hunt for a new striker has been well-documented but if they can land one of their ‘excellent’ targets, their attack will be taken to a new level.
Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds can be proud of Wrexham’s transfer business this summer.
The Reds have focused their efforts on tightening their defence, most notably with the signings of Sebastian Revan, Lewis Brunt and Dan Scarr.
Now that they’re spoilt for choice defensively, Phil Parkinson has switched his focus towards investing in attack with four strikers linked.
Tottenham’s Will Lankshear, Luton’s John McAtee, Sheffield Wednesday’s Bailey Cadamarteri and Fulham’s Kieron Bowie have all popped onto their radar in recent weeks.
It’s clear that while Parkinson has seven strikers on his books, he only trusts Paul Mullin to be a reliable source of goals; the rest are either looking to exit the club or don’t possess the scoring power in League One.
Wrexham must sign Luton Town striker John McAtee
McAtee is a name that has been on Wrexham’s list of targets for a while.
In season one, episode 13 of Welcome to Wrexham, McAtee’s name appears on a whiteboard inside Parkinson’s office.
Meanwhile, co-owner McElhenney has previously made his thoughts on McAtee clear having spoken on the Grimsby documentary series ‘All Town Aren’t We’.
“Ah, ****** McAtee, this guy… this guy is so good. He killed me!” said McElhenney.
Links towards the 24-year-old have resurfaced this summer with Wrexham keen on adding the Englishman to their attacking ranks, along with League One rivals Bolton Wanderers.
To land a player who scored 12 goals and supplied four assists at Barnsley last term would be a show of their intent, but it’s a transfer that is necessary in their path to success.
Outside of Mullin and midfielder Elliot Lee, who scored 41 goals between them last season, three players were tied on eight strikes, including Steven Fletcher, Andy Cannon and Ollie Palmer.
It explains why Parkinson wants to add a proven League One striker to his squad, who can perhaps form a deadly partnership with Mullin.
What John McAtee would bring to Wrexham
During his tenure at Wrexham, Parkinson has been over-reliant on his star striker Mullin, who has scored 105 goals in three seasons.
Last term, when he was sidelined for eight matches, the Reds turned to midfielder Lee to produce the goods as opposed to a striker, with the 29-year-old firing seven goals in his first eight matches.
Now, they’re facing up to a similar narrative without Mullin in the side, while the addition of McAtee would alleviate that problem.
To put it simply, the ‘excellent’ McAtee would bring the guarantee of ruthlessly finding the net in League One. He scored 12 in the league last season for a Barnsley side that finished in the play-offs.
A physically imposing striker, who links play well and can run in behind, McAtee is the perfect foil for Mullin and someone who can also dispatch his opportunities when they arrive.
Indeed, the Luton sharpshooter is inarguably the best option of the players linked and Wrexham should race to snap him up before it’s too late.