Wrexham are pursuing a number of midfield targets this summer.
Phil Parkinson has bolstered his attacking options with the capture of Ryan Hardie and is now prioritising the centre of the park.
Wrexham’s Championship fixture list has brought home the size of the task for the Red Dragons next season and winning the midfield battle will be key in many games.
Wrexham are in talks with Stuart Armstrong after the Scottish international was released by Sheffield Wednesday and Wrexham Insider has caught up with Celtic expert Callum Boyle to gain a further insight into Armstrong.
Celtic expert Callum Boyle provides insight into Stuart Armstrong’s abilities
Armstrong is not the only midfielder on the club’s radar, Wrexham are interested in Ryan Teague from Melbourne Victory and are also monitoring Tom Lawrence on a free transfer.
Ollie Rathbone would benefit from Armstrong’s arrival with the creative burden being shared in Parkinson’s side but exactly where could the 33-year-old fit into the Wrexham side?
Boyle looks back at Armstrong’s successful spell at Celtic and analyses the potential Wrexham signing.
What are Stuart Armstrong’s strengths as a player?
Armstrong’s strengths are his ball-carrying ability and long-range efforts on goal. He scored a few screamers during his time at Celtic and at the clubs he’s played for since those days. Technically, he is a wonderful player who has a wide range of passing ability, and can unlock a defence.
What are Stuart Armstrong’s weaknesses as a player?
In terms of where I think he could improve, Armstrong had a tendency to dip in and out of form. On some occasions he was electric and then others he was missing. Consistency is the key.
Wrexham play a 3-5-2, where would you see Armstrong fitting in to that system?
It’s been a good while since Armstrong was at Celtic and as he’s into his 30s now, his pace won’t be what it once was. He would play in the middle of that 3-5-2, maybe more defensively nowadays than bombing on as a box-to-box for a full 90 minutes.
Could you rate Armstrong as a signing out of ten for Wrexham?
I’d probably rate him as a 7/10. He’s not going to be a marquee signing but he would improve the depth of the squad and his experience and know-how in high pressure situations will help the Wrexham players who haven’t played at Championship level before.
How Stuart Armstrong fared in the Championship last season
Armstrong joined Sheffield Wednesday from Canadian side Vancouver back in January and played an important part in their end of season run-in.
The Scottish international made 11 appearances under manager Danny Rohl and produced one assist in those displays.
| Stuart Armstrong’s Championship record last season | Appearances | Goals | Assists |
| Armstrong | 11 | 0 | 1 |
As per The Star, Rohl described Armstrong as providing ‘good quality’ to his Wednesday squad and Parkinson will be attracted to a player with a wealth of experience.
As Boyle mentioned, Armstrong has begun to play in a deeper role but that may suit Wrexham as he can use his excellent passing range from deep and build attacks.