Phil Parkinson must complete a critical piece of business at Wrexham this summer to rival midfielder Andy Cannon.
Wrexham are preparing for their first campaign in League One for almost two decades. Hollywood owners Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds have armed Phil Parkinson with a healthy budget to splash.
The Wrexham boss has several pressing issues to resolve, including the negotiations with goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo, a new central defender to fill the void, a left-back to challenge Jacob Mendy and a striker to partner Paul Mullin.
For Parkinson to complete business in those positions, he needs to offload some more deadwood after giving Steven Fletcher a new contract. The Reds have 21 senior players contracted ahead of next season, and the EFL squad limit for registration is 22.
That has perhaps placed their transfer business on the back burner however, there is one other position that needs bolstering.
Wrexham are in the market for a new midfielder
Central midfield was arguably Wrexham’s strongest position last term, although following the departure of Luke Young, added depth is required.
Wrexham were reportedly linked to free agent midfielder Conor Hourihane but the 33-year-old turned down a “big offer” from the Welsh side and instead joined former club Barnsley.
Brighton’s midfield metronome Marc Leonard is also on their radar, with the Seagulls looking to sell for a reported £400,000 fee.
The 22-year-old – who starred on loan at Northampton Town last term – has attracted interest from several Championship sides, including Cardiff, Oxford and Birmingham City.
The latest player to be linked, though, is Portsmouth’s title-winning midfielder Joe Morrell, who sees his contract at Fratton Park expire at the end of this month.
Wrexham are said to be pushing to sign the Welsh international, who could be the perfect player to rival Andy Cannon for a place in Parkinson’s starting XI.
Why Joe Morrell can rival Andy Cannon in Wrexham’s midfield
Cannon was arguably unfortunate to miss out on winning Wrexham’s Player of the Year award, with Mullin scooping that accolade for the third year running.
The 28-year-old was the heartbeat in the Reds engine room alongside Elliot Lee as Cannon praised Parkinson for playing him an advanced role.
It was a tactical decision that worked a treat as the former Hull City man scored five goals and provided two assists in his final eight appearances of the campaign.
Cannon is now ready to take League One by storm having appeared 162 times at the level previously, although the energetic midfielder could lend some support, and that is where the addition of Morrell comes into play.
Morrell would not only supply Wrexham’s midfield with fierce competition, but the 27-year-old is a fully-fledged Welsh international and a League One title winner – two achievements that make him a bargain.
Much like Cannon, the Welshman supplies the engine room with an abundance of energy and “quality”, averaging an 86% pass completion in 2023/24, 5 balls recovered and 2.4 tackles won per game – the second most in the Portsmouth squad.
An all-action midfielder is what Parkinson craves and to back up or challenge Cannon for a place in the starting XI, there aren’t many better available than Morrell for £0.