Wrexham’s recruitment in the transfer window isn’t the only decision awaiting Phil Parkinson this summer.
Wrexham are a club that isn’t used to planning ahead in the transfer window.
Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds have carried out a recruitment strategy that has seen them target older players with the quality to fire them up the leagues as opposed to younger talent with future potential and resale value.
The captures of Steven Fletcher, 37 and James McClean, 35, are prime examples of the short-term thinking of the Hollywood owners and Phil Parkinson, opting for experience over longevity.
Nonetheless, this summer McElhenney and Reynolds will have to start thinking for the long-term and not just with their recruitment, but their current crop of players.
Wrexham players whose contracts expire in 2025
Parkinson will want to bolster his squad with fresh talent this summer but several players need their futures resolved, some of whom played a massive part in the promotion-winning campaign.
A total of 13 first-team players see their contracts expire in 2025 and it’s alarming the number of individuals who deserve new deals.
Highly-rated defender Max Cleworth, defensive midfielder George Evans and wing-back Ryan Barnett are among the players who have a year left on their contracts.
The list also includes Tom O’Connor, Jack Marriott, James McClean, Ollie Palmer and Andy Cannon, a player they must prioritise handing him a new contract.
Wrexham must give Andy Cannon a new contract
Wrexham midfielder Cannon is perhaps the most important player on the list whose contracts are expiring, alongside Cleworth, Evans and O’Connor.
That is in terms of their age, what they bring to the team and resale value, with Cannon’s importance to the Reds the most it’s ever been.
The 28-year-old thanked Parkinson for playing him in an advanced position last term as it’s the first time a manager has recognised his quality in the final third.
Cannon repaid his manager’s faith by scoring eight goals and supplying six assists in all competitions, seven of which came in the final eight league matches, demonstrating the confidence coursing through his veins.
The former Hull City midfielder is arguably even more crucial in League One having played at the level 162 times previously, turning out for Portsmouth and Rochdale.
In terms of his experience and what he brings in each capacity from midfield, the “sensational” Cannon should be high on the list of priorities to give a new contract this summer.
It’s vital that Wrexham plan for the future and the Englishman – who won promotion for a third time in a row last term – should be a part of their long-term vision.