Phil Parkinson could save Wrexham thousands by signing a ‘magic’ alternative to Brighton midfielder Marc Leonard.
Wrexham have signed Arthur Okonkwo and Lewis Brunt so far this summer to bolster their defensive ranks, though Phil Parkinson wants to strengthen in midfield.
Reports in May suggested the Reds were keen to sign Brighton & Hove Albion talent Marc Leonard, who excelled on loan at Northampton Town for two seasons in a row.
Parkinson was understandably interested in capturing the Scotsman, seeing him as someone who could shine in their engine room.
Unfortunately, interest in the 22-year-old is rife and it was reported on Tuesday that Birmingham City were closing in on a £450,000 move for the talented midfielder.
For Wrexham to match or exceed that price, they’d have to smash their transfer record, paying £300,000 for Ollie Palmer from AFC Wimbledon in January 2022.
Instead, Parkinson could save Wrexham thousands by signing a brilliant alternative to the former Scotland under-21 international.
Wrexham should sign George Dobson on a free transfer
George Dobson is a talented midfielder who starred at Charlton Athletic last term before agreeing on a pre-contract agreement with Hungarian side Fehervar.
The 26-year-old – who captained the Addicks 48 times last term – was set to join the Hungarian outfit on July 1st once his contract at the Valley expired.
Dobson penned an emotional message to supporters and said his last goodbyes however, in a dramatic turn of events, Charlton journalist Richard Cawley has reported that Fehervar have mutually terminated the Englishman’s contract due to a change in circumstances.
Interestingly, this leaves the West Ham academy graduate looking for a new club and several in League One should be looking to snap him up on a free transfer, including Wrexham.
How George Dobson compares to Marc Leonard
Dobson is a defensive-minded midfielder who can also play a bit further forward as a deep-lying playmaker and last term, pulled the strings in Charlton’s engine room.
Wrexham target Leonard plays a similar role to Dobson, whereby patrolling the middle of the park with his crisp passing range and eye for goal.
Parkinson is currently in the market for a midfield talent and this explains links to the Brighton academy star and Portsmouth’s Joe Morrell, who has just been released from his contract at Fratton Park.
Taking a look at both of their defensive and possession metrics on Sofascore, this is how Dobson compares against Leonard.
| League One statistics 23/24 | George Dobson | Marc Leonard |
| Appearances | 43 | 46 |
| Goals | 2 | 5 |
| Assists | 4 | 6 |
| Big chances created | 5 | 7 |
| Key passes | 1.3 | 1.5 |
| Pass accuracy | 78% | 82% |
| Interceptions per game | 1.3 | 1.5 |
| Tackles per game | 2.9 | 2.5 |
| Balls recovered per game | 7.1 | 6.7 |
| Total duels won per game | 6.7 | 5.3 |
| Ground duels won | 5.0 | 4.4 |
In terms of their ability to keep possession and impact the game in the final third, Leonard comes out on top against Dobson, although the former Charlton man is superior defensively.
The interception statistic is close but Dobson wins more tackles, recovers more balls and wins more duels per game.
A tigerish and bullish midfield weapon – dubbed as “magic” last term – Dobson offers a cheaper alternative to Leonard and his defensive statistics show he can play in that deep-lying midfield role, providing crucial competition for George Evans.