Having seen their previously potent strikers struggle for goals in League One, Wrexham’s top priority during the winter transfer window was to sign a new number nine.
Paul Mullin and Ollie Palmer, who combined to score 31 goals in League Two during the 2023/24 season, have netted just six combined thus far following the step up to the third tier of English football in 2024/25.
That lack of productivity in front of goal, coupled with Wrexham still managing to be embroiled in a promotion battle at the top of League One, led to the club being expectedly linked with a whole host of striker options throughout the winter transfer window.
After weeks of speculation, linking the club with the likes of Ryan Hardie, Patrick Bamford, Joe Gelhardt and Michael Smith among others, Wrexham eventually settled on the club record signing of Sam Smith from Reading and the surprise signing of veteran Jay Rodriguez from Burnley.
Any Wrexham fans who tuned in to Sunday’s FA Cup fourth round clash between Plymouth and Liverpool would’ve seen a player familiar to them from their club’s attempts to sign a new striker, with Hardie impressing for the Championship team in a shock 1-0 win.
Ryan Hardie scores Plymouth winner in 1-0 win over Liverpool in the FA Cup
Hardie was heavily linked with a move to Wrexham early in the winter window, with reports stating at the time that the club would be willing to pay a record £2m in order to secure his services.
Considering the 27-year-old’s previous successes at League One level – where he netted 29 goals in the 2021/22 and 2022/23 seasons combined – it was a deal that would’ve made a lot of sense for Phil Parkinson’s side.
Links eventually fizzled out as Wrexham turned their attentions elsewhere in search for goals, but fans watching Plymouth’s FA Cup win over Liverpool on Sunday were perhaps ruing what might have been had Hardie joined the Welsh outfit.
Hardie was in fantastic form against the Premier League leaders at Home Park, firing home the winning goal from the penalty spot in the 53rd minute to book his side’s place in the FA Cup fifth round.
Why Wrexham signed Sam Smith instead of other transfer targets
Like Hardie, Smith has plenty of League One goalscoring pedigree, having scored 43 goals in his last three full seasons at that level.
Perhaps the reason Wrexham ultimately opted to sign Smith instead of other targets, however, was the fact that the striker has been in much better form than the likes of Hardie during the 2024/25 campaign.
While Hardie has managed just three league goals this season, Smith had already bagged 11 prior to joining Wrexham and looks set to hit a career best tally.
| Games | Goals | Assists | |
| Ryan Hardie | 27 | 5 | 2 |
| Sam Smith | 27 | 11 | 2 |
After joining the club, Smith said: “I think everyone is aware of Reading’s situation. It’s an amazing football club and I just feel for everyone involved there.
“But when an opportunity comes up like this and with everything going on there, it was something I couldn’t turn down. The project they’re building here, I think everyone would want to be a part of it.
“We’ve got a big squad and a good squad, we’re going to need everyone if we want to try and get promoted.”