Wrexham’s stay in League One has already come to an end after Phil Parkinson secured yet another promotion.
Back-to-back promotions saw Wrexham rapidly rise from the National League to League One.
Phil Parkinson has now taken Wrexham another step forward, immediately securing promotion to the Championship.
Wrexham’s outstanding recruitment has been a driving force, with Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds funding some impressive signings.
Here, we grade every signing Wrexham have made since winning promotion from League Two.
Arthur Okonkwo
Wrexham’s first summer signing was arguably the biggest.
Arthur Okonkwo excelled on loan at Wrexham and appeared to be a man in demand as his Arsenal contract ended.
Wrexham managed to pull off a permanent deal, marking an enormous coup for Parkinson.
Andy Morrell didn’t think a deal for Okonkwo was possible, and we also had our doubts, given Okonkwo’s brilliant performances and huge potential.
Okonkwo has lived up to the billing, racking up 19 clean sheets in 33 League One appearances.
Parkinson dropped Okonkwo for a brief period after returning from injury out of form, but he ended the season as Wrexham’s first-choice stopper and arguably the best in League One.
Grade: A+
Lewis Brunt
Wrexham signed Lewis Brunt in a hijack on Mansfield Town, where the defender spent last season on loan.
Peterborough United also wanted Brunt but claimed Wrexham blew them out of the water in terms of wages.
Brunt didn’t even make a League One matchday squad until 1 October and played just 21 minutes of league action before starting against Exeter City on 23 November.
Once Brunt stepped into the team, he showed exactly why Wrexham signed him.
Brunt was brilliant on the left side of Wrexham’s back three, but he suffered a couple of injury problems in 2025.
We loved Brunt’s displays this season and believe the 24-year-old has much more to show in the Championship.
Grade: A
George Dobson
A significant signing on a free transfer, midfielder George Dobson joined Wrexham as his Charlton Athletic deal ended.
Dobson U-turned on a move to Fehervar and reunited with his former Sunderland boss Parkinson at the STōK Cae Ras.
Dobson racked up 42 League One appearances for Wrexham, chipping in with five assists from midfield and proving himself to be an incredibly hard worker in the engine room.
There were some issues at times in terms of Dobson and Matty James playing in the same midfield, but Dobson certainly played a key role in Wrexham’s promotion campaign.
Dobson has never played at Championship level, so the 27-year-old must now kick on and make sure he is still playing regularly for Wrexham next season and beyond.
Grade: A
Callum Burton
Not content with signing Okonkwo, Wrexham also signed Callum Burton on a free transfer after leaving Plymouth Argyle.
Burton was brought in as competition for Okonkwo and was called up in League One action after Okonkwo’s wrist injury.
Burton earned praise from Parkinson despite defeat at Stockport County and largely equipped himself well in his brief run in the team.
Injury cut Burton’s run short, but he returned to the bench for the final six games of the League One season.
It’s difficult to go too overboard on a player who played just eight games this season, but Burton showed that he can be dependable when called upon – which is just what you want from a backup goalkeeper.
Grade: B
Sebastian Revan
Despite already having James McClean and Jacob Mendy at Parkinson’s disposal, Wrexham snapped up Sebastian Revan as another left wing-back option.
Revan had shown promise on loan at Rotherham United in the Championship, so expectations were high in League One.
Following an impressive pre-season, Revan impressed against Sheffield United in the EFL Cup and seemed destined for a big season.
Sadly, Revan’s campaign never really took off and it was telling that he didn’t play a single minute of League One action after Wrexham’s 2-0 defeat at Reading on 11 March.
The 21-year-old certainly still has potential, and we saw him turn in an impressive display in a victory over Mansfield Town.
Revan didn’t quite live up to the billing, though, and we would not be surprised to see him head out on loan this summer.
Grade: C
Dan Scarr
Wrexham snapped up Dan Scarr from Plymouth Argyle, adding him as competition in the middle of Parkinson’s back line.
An experienced performer from his Argyle days, Scarr didn’t make a first league start for Wrexham until facing Stevenage on 1 October.
Scarr then kept his place for the next six games but found himself back on the fringes again after the defeat at Stockport County.
From that point on, Scarr played just 162 minutes of League One football before being brought on against Bristol Rovers on Good Friday.
Scarr summed up exactly why Wrexham signed him, impressing in the final games of the season to help secure promotion.
Wrexham fans hailed Scarr against Blackpool and the 30-year-old has certainly shown that Parkinson can depend on him whenever required.
Grade: B
Ollie Rathbone
Wrexham signed Ollie Rathbone from Rotherham United as the former Manchester United midfielder departed the Millers following their relegation from the Championship.
Rathbone had a somewhat slow start to life at Wrexham, making just three league starts before facing Exeter City on 23 November.
Rathbone scored in that game and simply hasn’t looked back since, racking up eight goals in 41 League One appearances.
The 28-year-old has been a bundle of energy in midfield and an incredibly likeable character.
Wrexham paid a ‘significant’ fee for Rathbone, and that has proven to be money well spent.
Rathbone clinched the Wrexham Player of the Season award and looks almost undroppable as Parkinson prepares for the Championship.
Grade: A+
Modou Faal
Wrexham struck late in the window to sign Modou Faal from West Bromwich Albion.
The Gambian forward had impressed on loan at Doncaster Rovers and Walsall last season, tempting Wrexham into taking a chance on him.
Wrexham paid around £500,000 to sign Faal, which was a serious investment at the time.
Faal’s huge frame meant he appeared to be a long-term replacement for Ollie Palmer, but Wrexham then signed two more strikers in January.
The 22-year-old played just 63 minutes in League One but did show some improvement over the season in the EFL Trophy.
Faal suffered an injury late in the season and will hope to impress over the summer, but a loan move next season could be best for all as Wrexham look to develop him into a first-team player down the line.
Faal may have a bright future ahead, but it’s difficult to rate him too high after playing so few minutes in League One.
Grade: C
Josh Adam
A free agent signing after leaving Manchester City, Wrexham landed midfielder Josh Adam outside of the summer window.
Adam was once highly regarded at Celtic, prompting City to lure him down to Manchester.
Wrexham took a chance on Adam, handing him a one-year deal with the option of another year.
The Scot has been largely invisible this season, with his only major opportunities coming in the EFL Trophy.
Wrexham signed Adam as a youngster for the future, so in that regard, Adam has held the exact role in mind.
We can’t rank Adam too low for that reason, but he just hasn’t been able to make a first-team impact.
Grade: C
Matty James
As injuries emerged midway through the season, Wrexham snapped up Matty James on a free transfer.
The former Leicester City ace had been a free agent in the opening months of the season having left Bristol City.
James brought vast experience and ended up nailing down a starting role in the Wrexham midfield.
There were some complaints about James moving the ball too slowly, but his sumptuous pass for Sam Smith’s acrobatic goal against Charlton Athletic showed off his quality.
Parkinson praised the mentality James provided and that character will continue to be so important in the Championship.
Grade: A
Jon Dadi Bodvarsson
James was not the only free agent to arrive as striker Jon Dadi Bodvarsson also joined Wrexham.
Bodvarsson had ties to two of Parkinson’s former clubs in Reading and Bolton Wanderers, and arrived as Wrexham needed help in attack.
The Icelandic forward only played seven times for Wrexham, totalling just 252 minutes – and only 90 in League One.
Wrexham let Bodvarsson leave for Burton Albion in January, where he scored five times in 13 games to help the Brewers avoid relegation.
Bodvarsson didn’t make a huge impact but falls into a similar category as Adam in that he wasn’t signed for a huge role and can’t really be knocked for it.
Bodvarsson did a job for Wrexham at the time and stepped up when Parkinson really needed him.
Grade: C
Brad Foster
A third free agent signing came in after injuries to Arthur Okonkwo and Callum Burton, with Brad Foster signing on the dotted line.
Foster had previously been with West Bromwich Albion and made just one appearance for Wrexham.
Wrexham fans praised Foster for his display against Crewe Alexandra in the EFL Trophy, but his only other appearances were on the bench.
Foster was not a flashy signing but he performed admirably in that one appearance and Parkinson handed him a new contract until the end of the season – and possibly until 2026.
That shows Parkinson feels he can depend on Foster moving forward, and for a free agent pickup in the middle of the season, you can’t ask for much more.
Grade: C
Ryan Longman
Ryan Barnett was absolutely brilliant in the first half of the season, but Wrexham still moved to sign Ryan Longman in January.
Longman initially featured off the bench but had snatched Barnett’s right wing-back spot by the end of the season.
The 24-year-old hit one goal and three assists in his final seven appearances of the season, helping Wrexham secure promotion.
Longman thinks Wrexham are up to the Championship challenge, and he should play a key role moving forward next season.
Longman has supplied quality in the box, just like Barnett, and his flexibility to play on the left side opens up the possibility of both players starting at times.
We loved watching Longman emerging late in the season and can’t wait to see more of him.
Grade: A
Sam Smith
Wrexham’s transfer record was broken on Sam Smith as the January deadline moved closer.
Parkinson clearly felt that he needed more firepower and raided his former club Reading for Smith.
Wrexham splashed a cool £2million on Smith, but that now looks like money well spent after seven goals in 19 games.
Smith dazzled Ryan Reynolds with his goal against Charlton, flying through the air to volley home and effectively send Wrexham to the Championship.
The next challenge is for Smith to shine at Championship level, but he is the man who fired Wrexham there – and his impact cannot be overlooked.
Grade: A+
Jay Rodriguez
Smith was joined at Wrexham by Jay Rodriguez as the veteran forward arrived on the very same day.
Rodriguez said an emotional goodbye to Burnley as he departed his hometown club to join the Wrexham project.
It’s fair to say Rodriguez has really divided opinion so far.
The experienced striker has not matched the blistering goalscoring impact of Smith and has endured some very ineffectual performances.
Rodriguez has been a great foil for Smith in the final third, though, and his touch and lay-off for Ollie Rathbone to score at Blackpool showed off his class.
We still need to see more from Rodriguez and hope to see him really kick on after a full pre-season under Parkinson.
Grade: C+