Phil Parkinson’s latest update suggests he could offload some of his Wrexham players on loan.
Wrexham strolled through the National League and fourth tier with relative ease, claiming the title and finishing second.
The proposition of winning promotion to the Championship, though, is a different kettle of fish but Phil Parkinson will take inspiration from Kieran McKenna at Ipswich.
In their bid to challenge for the play-offs or top two, big clubs such as Huddersfield, Birmingham City and Bolton Wanderers will stand in their way.
Parkinson knows severe improvements to his squad are needed, hence why he’s offloaded six first-team team players and debating loaning out a couple more.
To comply with the 22-man squad, here are three players he should consider letting go temporarily…
Sam Dalby
Sam Dalby’s chances of getting minutes have been dashed by the sheer number of strikers at Parkinson’s disposal.
Paul Mullin is nailed on to start every week alongside one of Steven Fletcher or Ollie Palmer currently but that still leaves Jack Marriott, Billy Waters, Jake Bickerstaff and the possibility of bringing another through the door.
Dalby did start 14 times in League Two last term and Parkinson rated him highly, claiming the “superb” striker had ‘a lot of potential’ last October.
However, if last season is anything to go by, the 24-year-old isn’t good enough to cut it at League One level and will be better off going out on loan or perhaps sold.
Jake Bickerstaff
Jake Bickerstaff is another striker rated highly by Parkinson but one who has fallen victim to the quality ahead of him in the pecking order.
The 22-year-old started brilliantly last term as Parkinson lauded him for his “clinical finishing” after scoring against Walsall and Swindon Town during Mullin’s absence.
Once he returned from his punctured lung eight matches into the campaign, Bickerstaff saw his game time slashed, featuring for just 17 minutes in the league before being loaned out to Doncaster Rovers in January.
The powerful striker impressed in the matches he played and although he only scored once, a full season on loan in League Two would be brilliant for him.
Anthony Forde
Anthony Forde became the youngest player in Wolves history when he made his Premier League debut for the club in December 2011, aged 18y 41d.
The winger-turned-wing-back has since spent most of his career in the football league, featuring for clubs like Walsall, Oxford United and Rotherham.
Now at Wrexham after arriving in July 2022, Forde is currently the third choice behind Ryan Barnett and Luke Bolton at right wing-back.
The “brilliant” 30-year-old did feature in 14 of Wrexham’s first 26 matches in League Two but an injury, coupled with the January arrival of Bolton, left him out of the squad completely.
Forde’s contract expires in the summer of 2025, so the Reds should either cash in or let him depart on loan, otherwise, it’s difficult to see how he gets game time in League One.