The January transfer window is just around the corner and Wrexham may look to bolster Phil Parkinson’s options.
Christmas is now just a week away and 2024 is drawing to a close.
Wrexham can be delighted with another fine calendar year under Phil Parkinson with more progress made.
Wrexham clinched promotion to League One back in April and are now going strong, sitting third in the table.
The Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds project continues to move forward rapidly with Wrexham progressing even quicker than Reynolds anticipated.
A third straight promotion is a real possibility and Wrexham need to be ready to strike in the January transfer window for a potential difference-maker.
BBC reporters suggest Leeds United ace to Wrexham
It’s unclear just how much Wrexham are able to spend in January but Parkinson will hope for a signing or two.
Reports in November suggested that Wrexham are keen to land a new striker with McElhenney and Reynolds ready to splash the cash.
Millwall’s Tom Bradshaw could be a target but a handful of BBC reporters have now discussed the prospect of Patrick Bamford heading to the STōK Cae Ras.
Speaking on the Don’t Go To Bed Just Yet podcast, reporters Adam Pope and Jonny Buchan, as well as Simon Rix from Kaiser Chiefs, discussed Bamford’s future.
As quoted by MOT Leeds News, Pope questioned just who could come in and sign Leeds United striker Bamford during the January window.
Buchan and Rix ended up suggesting Wrexham, believing that Bamford could be a big January addition for Parkinson and co.
“Who could spend big money to get Patrick Bamford out of Leeds United? It’s not going to happen in the Championship, I don’t think a Premier League club’s going to take a risk on him, so what does that leave elsewhere?” said Pope.
Buchan added: “Well, it leaves big spenders in League One, where we know that they’re allowed to spend differently because of the way the regulations work at that level, and it leaves…”
“Wrexham,” said Rix, leaving Buchan to believe that Wrexham could look into a move.
“Well, there you go – Wrexham are a side that are in the mix in League One, and you wonder whether they might have a look,” said Buchan.
Could Wrexham actually sign Patrick Bamford?
Bamford has yet to start a single Championship game this season and has only managed 102 minutes of action across eight substitute appearances.
The 31-year-old scored eight times in the Championship last season but now appears to have drifted down Daniel Farke’s pecking order.
A January exit would not be a huge surprise but Bamford is bound to be on considerable wages from his Premier League days with Leeds.
Wrexham presumably pay decent money in wages having managed to sign the likes of Arthur Okonkwo and George Dobson over the summer.
Meeting Bamford’s wages will be a challenge for Wrexham and would surely be the major stumbling block for any move.
Bamford does though tick the box in terms of being an experienced Championship goalscorer and if he wants to be part of something special rather than sitting on the bench at Leeds, Wrexham could be the move.
Parkinson has previously praised Bamford after seeing him score the winner against Bolton Wanderers in 2018.
“The lads have given everything – we’ve been done by a moment of quality from a £7m player,” Parkinson told BBC Sport.
Leeds paid £7million to sign Bamford from Middlesbrough in 2018, as noted by Sky Sports, with Parkinson well aware of his price tag.
Just a few months later, Bamford criticised Parkinson having ‘lost his head’ in a fracas between Leeds and Bolton players.
“One of their players was stupid and I don’t know what their manager was thinking either. He’s supposed to be the one who’s probably calming his players down. He lost his head but sometimes it happens and tempers get raised,” Bamford told the Yorkshire Evening Post.
That is something of a mixed history but if Parkinson believes that Bamford can make a big difference for Wrexham, he may well be a target for January.