Wrexham have recruited well since the the arrivals of Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds and Michael Williamson has now provided an insight into their strategy.
The Red Dragons ended February 3rd in a much stronger position than they were at the beginning of January.
The main priority for Wrexham over the 2025 winter window was improving their forward line.
A number of Phil Parkinson’s strikers had dramatically underperformed on the goal front in the first half of the season but this issue has now hopefully been addressed.
Sam Smith arrived from Reading in what is Wrexham’s club-record transfer, smashing the previous fee paid out for Modou Faal during the 2024 summer window.
Shortly after Smith, the Hollywood-owned club snapped up Jay Rodriguez from Premier League promotion chasers, Burnely.
Prior to their centre-forward ranks being improved, Wrexham signed Ryan Longman – a deal that’s already paying off with three assists in four for the right-wing-back.
Michael Williamson explains Wrexham transfer strategy
Now, with the January transfer window behind us, Wrexham CEO Michael Williamson has been discussing the club’s transfer strategy.
Williamson was appointed as the club’s chief executive officer in May 2024 and has since helped the club complete 15 signings, including free agents.
Their recruitment has been very mixed with experienced and young stars all arriving in Wales.
And now, as per Leader Live, the Wrexham chief has shared an insight into their strategy.
He said: “We have to make sure that we support Phil and give ourselves and him the best chance to get promoted.
“In 90 minutes anything can happen, but what we wanted to do was make sure that we provided him the support that he felt was necessary.
“We have a committee that works as a transfer committee; myself, Shaun Harvey, Humphrey Ker, Phil and Les Reed, so that helps us kind of stress test any signings that we’re looking to make.
“We talk a little bit about the strategy of who we’re looking to bring in, the profiles and then ultimately the approach and the financial investment.
“What’s been important, going back to being sustainable and having more of a long-term vision and not just the now, is how we balance the squad to have players that are veterans, leaders and experienced that can show that dressing room what it means to win, with players that are talented with quality that can also come along for the long-term.”
Michael Williamson comments on Wrexham record signing Sam Smith
The biggest coup for Wrexham over the winter was the addition of Smith, who has already netted 11 league goals this season for Reading.
Likely to the delight of fans, Smith is 26 and can be a long-term option for the club, unlike most of their current number nines.
| Player | Sam Smith | Jay Rodriguez | Paul Mullin | Steven Fletcher | Modou Faal | Ollie Palmer | Jack Marriott |
| Age | 26 | 35 | 30 | 37 | 21 | 33 | 30 |
This was seemingly by design, with Williamson discussing the forward and the need to find a balance between older and young players.
He added: “That’s why you see players like Sam Smith, a fantastic, proven goalscorer at this level. A consistently double-digit goalscorer in League One and still relatively young for a striker at 26.
“But then at the same time, looking at an opportunity to bring in somebody like Jay Rodriguez at 35 who has made over 200 appearances in the Premier League.
“Finding that balance is something that we, as a club, have been able to do pretty successfully over these last two transfer windows and it’s been great because I think you can see the success on the pitch.”