Wrexham had a productive January transfer window but one Phil Parkinson decision means a player is unlikely to ever feature for the club again.
It took them three weeks to actually make a move, but Wrexham ended up bringing in three new players over the winter.
Despite it not initially being clear how he would be used, Ryan Longman has excelled at Wrexham following his switch from Championship side, Hull City.
After the wing-back’s addition, Wrexham ended their long search for a new striker by snapping up two quality players.
Sam Smith brings with him a superb goalscoring record in League One, while Jay Rodriguez has plenty of Premier League experience under his belt.
Wrexham fans should largely be pleased with how their club operated in the winter transfer window but one decision made by Phil Parkinson means they will likely miss out on a transfer fee this summer with a player unlikely to ever line out for them again.
Phil Parkinson should have recalled Sam Dalby from Dundee United in January
One of the main stories coming out of the Racecourse Ground during the winter was the future of Sam Dalby.
The striker left Wales over the summer to join Dundee United on a season-long loan after falling down the pecking order.
However, he’s gone on to enjoy a sensational spell in Scotland and in turn, there was talk Wrexham could recall Dalby in January.
That did not come to pass though, and it now seems very likely the 25-year-old will leave as a free agent come the end of June when his contract is up.
Wrexham offered Dalby a new contract at the end of 2024 but unconfirmed rumours suggest he’s rejected it recently.
It’s easy to see why the Englishman has done so because if Parkinson actually wanted to use him, he should have recalled him last month and offered him playing time in the second half of 2024/25.
Now though, it makes sense for the player to reject that contract before becoming a free agent in the summer when he can then sign for anyone he wants.
Given his current form, Wrexham could have got a decent transfer sum for him later this year if he’d penned a new deal but will now almost certainly lose him for nothing.
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Sam Dalby career stats
Dalby began his playing career on the books of Leyton Orient before securing a move to Leeds United in 2018.
He then joined Watford, who were playing in the Premier League at the time, but things didn’t really work out.
The forward has had a mixed career, which has included netting 35 goals for various clubs.
| Appearances | Goals | Assists |
| 196 | 35 | 16 |
Dalby’s spell at Dundee United has been by far and away his most prolific – 11 goals in 24 appearances – and it’ll be interesting to see where the strike ends up come the start of 2025/26.