Wrexham have a player on their books who can save Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds thousands in the summer transfer window.
It’s been a fantastic summer for Wrexham, who have signed five new players and pulled off some impressive performances and results on their tour of the United States.
Including draws against Premier League opponents Bournemouth and Chelsea, Phil Parkinson’s men rounded off the tour with a resounding 4-1 win over MLS side Vancouver Whitecaps.
With a healthy squad to choose from and more expected to arrive, there have been rare negatives for the Reds, although one of them is the blow of losing Paul Mullin.
The Wrexham goal machine had minor spinal surgery to get rid of long-standing lower back and hamstring issues, meaning he will miss the first couple of games in 2024/25.
Many have asked Parkinson to fill the void, resulting in links to Millwall’s Tom Bradshaw and Tottenham youngster Will Lankshear, but one current player may be the answer to that issue.
Why Elliot Lee can fill Paul Mullin’s void
A sense of Deja Vu has cropped up this summer as last year, Mullin missed the first eight matches of their League Two campaign after suffering a punctured lung against Man United.
Luckily, Mullin is only facing three matches sidelined this time around but Parkinson still needs to find someone to replace his goal threat.
Admittedly, replacing a player with 105 goals in three seasons isn’t the easiest of tasks however, midfielder Elliot Lee proved he could step up to the mark last term.
In the eight matches his teammate missed at the start, the ‘fantastic’ talent produced an impressive seven goals and two assists as he flourished in an advanced role, ending the campaign on a total of 16 goals.
He was given the license to get forward and impact attacks, something he’s great at doing and with the arrival of George Dobson, he can continue such a trend.
The key to unlocking the best of Elliot Lee
In League One, Parkinson has the luxury of playing two defensive-minded players next to Lee, who can benefit from the defensive protection.
The Wrexham boss could deploy George Evans at the base with one of George Dobson, Andy Cannon or James Jones next to the attacking midfielder.
That way, Lee will have less defensive responsibility and can push higerh up the pitch to support the two strikers, or perhaps form a potent trio.
This is how he started the season on fire in 2023/24 in Mullin’s absence and he can repeat that success in the third tier while saving Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds thousands on a replacement.