Wrexham are being linked with plenty of names going into the summer but they need to start looking elsewhere for new signings.
Since Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds took over, all of the club’s signings have arrived from the UK.
This is to be expected given they began in the National League and there are not too many players who would want to move from abroad to play in the fifth tier of English football.
However, Welcome to Wrexham, coupled with the profiles of their Hollywood owners, has made Wrexham one of the most well-known sides in the world.
They are also now set to compete in the Championship for the first time since its rebrand, making them a much more attractive proposition to foreign stars.
On this front, they should look to Germany to help improve their striker department.
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Rayan Philippe would be a great addition for Wrexham
They have waved goodbye to Steven Fletcher, Paul Mullin could be sold this summer, Modou Faal probably needs a loan move, and Jack Marriott’s goal return, barring a brief spell at the start of 2024/25, hasn’t been amazing.
It’s easy to see why Wrexham are linked with several strikers right now, all of which have been playing in the Championship recently.
But they should now be looking at the European market to pick up some under-rated, potentially cheap, new additions.
This is common practice among Championship clubs, with some American fans perhaps now familiar with Atalanta United’s Emmanuel Latte Lath, who signed for them in January from Middlesbrough for £22.5m after Boro paid a fraction of that price to bring him over from Italy.
One player who could perform similarly well for Wrexham is Rayan Philippe, who is currently plying his trade in the 2. Bundesliga with a struggling Eintracht Braunschweig.
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What Wrexham fans need to know about Rayan Philippe
Eintracht Braunschweig have endured a very tough 2024/25 and have been competing in the relegation play-offs this week after a 16th place finish in Germany’s second tier.
They won their most recent fixture 2-0, but it’s still been a disappointing campaign for them, despite the excellent performance of Philippe.
The number nine began his career in France before eventually securing a free transfer to Braunschweig in 2023.
Still only 24, his addition would mark a likely welcome shift in the age of players Wrexham have generally signed, especially up front.
All their regular strikers, barring Smith, are over the age of 30, but Philippe, like the club’s record signing, could be a long-term addition.
He scored 13 and assisted six in 34 normal 2. Bundesliga games and could prove to be great competition for Smith.
Standing at just under 6ft, he has decent pace and has shown his ability to finish well despite receiving little service in an underperforming team.
And after proving himself in a poor side, he could wish to make a step up in his career, which Wrexham could offer him.