Wrexham are on the verge of signing West Bromwich Albion striker Modou Faal, with two players set to flourish and three are set to suffer following his arrival.
Wrexham’s striker hunt has been well-documented throughout this transfer window but they could finally have their man in West Bromwich Albion hitman Modou Faal.
Faal is set to sign a permanent contract at the Racecourse Ground and will become their eighth summer signing, as long as a deal goes through.
Standing at a giant 6 foot 4, Faal will bring significant height and strength to Phil Parkinson’s front line, along with the promise of goals.
The Gambian star struck 13 goals last term across loan spells at Doncaster Rovers and Walsall but the youngster can now find a permanent home in Wales.
Here are two winners and three losers from the Faal deal…
Ryan Barnett and Paul Mullin the winners once Wrexham seal Faal deal
Throughout this summer, the missing piece to the transfer puzzle has become clear; Wrexham need a long-term striker to partner Paul Mullin upfront.
Steven Fletcher is set to retire next summer while at the age of 32, Ollie Palmer’s best years are behind him however, he has made an impressive start to this season.
Palmer and Fletcher, two players who tick the ‘tall and physical’ striker box, are set to suffer with the arrival of Faal, who will likely take his place alongside the Liverpudlian once Wrexham can name their best team.
The other notable winner of this deal is Ryan Barnett, with the 24-year-old known for his electric pace and crossing ability down the right flank.
Given Faal’s height and aerial ability, Barnett sending in ammunition for the physical striker is a mouth-watering proposition for Parkinson.
Rob McElhenney recently described Barnett’s cross against Reading as ‘poetry’, and that would be the case with Faal in the starting XI.
Ollie Palmer one of three losers from Modou Faal deal
The obvious loser from the Faal deal is Palmer.
In the absence of Mullin, he’s partnered Jack Marriott up top but once the Gambian arrives at the club, he could spend more of his time on the bench.
However, that isn’t expected to happen straight away as Faal acclimatizes to his new surroundings but it is a possibility in the not-so-distant future.
Fletcher is another unfortunate loser in this transfer as the veteran forward already shares minutes with Palmer, predominantly from the bench.
With Faal arriving and Palmer the first option from the bench, the 37-year-old’s game time could suffer a further blow as a result.
The Scotsman isn’t the only one, too, as Sam Dalby – the player currently low down the pecking order – will have next to no chance of making starts or contributions from the bench.
Dalby started the Carabao Cup defeat against Sheffield United but hasn’t played a signal minute in the league, which signals how Parkinson sees him.