Wrexham look set to finally make a signing in the 2025 January transfer window.
It has been a very slow start to the winter window for the Red Dragons but a new player finally appears to be on his way to the Racecourse Ground.
Reports emerged on Tuesday afternoon that Wrexham are signing Ryan Longman from Championship outfit Hull City for £500,000.
It was claimed shortly after that Oxford United also hold an interest in the player still. But manager Gary Rowett commented on Longman after his side’s game on the evening of January 21st, confirming he doesn’t expect the club to sign him.
He said: “He’s a player we were certainly interested in but I don’t expect us to do that deal and sign that player.”
So, with Wrexham now the clear frontrunner to get a deal over the line, we have looked at how the Hull man compares to some of the Red Dragons’ current players.
How Paul Mullin, Jack Marriott, and Wrexham target Ryan Longman compare
The 24-year-old is a natural right-winger but he is a very versatile player, able to line out on the left flank, as a wing-back and as a centre-forward.
Given there are so few goals in the Wrexham frontline right now, Phil Parkinson may wish to use the Hull star up front this term.
Standing at 5ft 11 inches, he’s not the biggest player in the world so would likely start matches alongside Ollie Palmer or Steven Fletcher – competing for the role generally reserved for Paul Mullin or Jack Marriott.
Now, WRExG Data Analytics have taken a look at how Longman has performed in every game he’s played as a striker and compared him to Mullin and Marriott.
The data makes for an interesting read, with it clear Longman should be used up front if Parkinson wants a player who can run at backlines and beat defences who are sat deep.
However, on the goal front, it’s obvious Mullin and Marriott are much better finishers than him. As a result, it’s probably best if Marriott starts as one of Parkinson’s main number nines going forward.
Ryan Longman can provide cover at wing-back
While he’s unlikely to excel up front, the Englishman is capable of operating at wing-back.
Wrexham currently have James McClean and Ryan Barnett starting in those positions, with the options behind them not great.
Sebastian Revan hasn’t set the world alight since his summer move, while Jacob Mendy is decent but probably not good enough to rival McClean on a regular basis.
On this front, the data suggests that Longman is a better defensive option than both players, which could prove handy in tight games against tough opposition or when Parkinson is looking to see out a narrow lead.
It’s still not 100 percent clear how the Wrexham boss will use Longman but he has proven himself to be a versatile player and should be a good rotation option for the Welsh outfit going forward.