Wrexham are being linked with a move to sign free-agent goalkeeper Danny Ward following his departure from Leicester City.
Wrexham fans would have been forgiven for raising eyebrows earlier this week.
Reports suggested that Wrexham have opened talks to re-sign Danny Ward on a free transfer this summer.
Leicester City have released Ward as the Foxes adjust to life after relegation from the Premier League.
Wrexham were linked with Ward after his release, but we played down those rumours given that Phil Parkinson already has a top goalkeeper in Arthur Okonkwo.
Wrexham appear to be pressing ahead with a move for Ward, who would seemingly serve as competition in the goalkeeping pecking order.
Championship goalkeeping rules different to League One amid Wrexham’s Danny Ward chase
We are still a little unsure about this move given that Ward would be second choice at Wrexham, possibly even third choice given that Callum Burton is a fine goalkeeper in his own right.
Wrexham are making changes between the posts, though, having released three stoppers this summer.
Mark Howard is leaving Wrexham, with youngsters Liam Hall and Brad Foster also moving on.
Losing three goalkeepers in one window means the signing of another goalkeeper is almost expected.
There is a key reason for allowing so many goalkeepers to leave, and it comes from the EFL rulebook.
In League One and below, goalkeepers do not count towards the 22-man squad limit, so Wrexham were able to register as many as possible.
That is not the case in the Championship, as the rules in the second tier state that goalkeepers over the age of 21 must be registered for the 25-man squad.
Wrexham cannot feasibly carry five goalkeepers next season, and Parkinson has adjusted accordingly by letting three stoppers go.
Wrexham are now down to two senior goalkeepers in Okonkwo and Burton if you don’t factor in Luke McNicholas, whose long-term future is unclear, and the potential signing of the third-choice goalkeeper will be fascinating.
How Phil Parkinson may be thinking about Danny Ward
In League One, Wrexham were able to address the goalkeeping position with numbers.
Howard’s veteran presence made him a strong third-choice stopper and free agent signing Foster was signed as cover in an emergency ahead of Hall.
Wrexham do not have that luxury in the Championship, so Parkinson may feel that he needs three reliable goalkeepers that he can register and have no worries about calling on them to start games.
Parkinson may take the stance that he needs quality over quantity due to the change in rules from division to division.
That may go some way to explaining a surprise move for Ward, who may have to start out as a third-choice stopper at Wrexham.
Parkinson could be planning to carry three goalkeepers he can completely trust to play Championship minutes, and Ward fits that bill.
The wages may be high for a backup goalkeeper but, if Wrexham have the money available, Parkinson may prefer to commit that cash to a signing like Ward rather than a mere placeholder as a third-choice goalkeeper given the reduced flexibility with his squad restrictions.