Wrexham have completed a busy summer transfer window with Phil Parkinson bolstering his squad for the League One season.
Wrexham simply had to make some big moves after achieving back-to-back promotions from the National League to League One.
Difficult decisions had to be made and some popular players have moved on as Wrexham’s project progresses.
Aaron Hayden to Carlisle United, Ben Tozer to Forest Green Rovers, Luke Young to Cheltenham Town, even Sam Dalby to Dundee United on deadline day; Wrexham have moved on some key figures from the last few years.
Phil Parkinson needed to improve his options for the rigours of League One life and Wrexham have completed some impressive business.
Wrexham summer transfer spend emerges
Arthur Okonkwo was the first to sign as Wrexham completed a permanent deal for the goalkeeper after shining on loan last season.
Lewis Brunt snubbed Peterborough for Wrexham and George Dobson reunited with Phil Parkinson after leaving Charlton Athletic.
A double signing materialised in July as Callum Burton and Sebastian Revan both joined before Dan Scarr arrived from Plymouth Argyle.
Ollie Rathbone’s arrival broke Wrexham’s transfer record with Modou Faal’s deadline day arrival from West Bromwich Albion finishing up the business.
So just how much did all of that set Wrexham back?
The Athletic claim that Wrexham’s total transfer spend for the summer comes to ‘not too far short’ of £2million.
It’s stated that Brunt, Revan and Scarr all cost ‘low-six figures’ whilst Okonkwo, Dobson and Burton were all free transfers.
Rathbone and Faal are thought to make up ‘slightly less than half’ of that total spend.
BBC Sport claim that the fee for Faal is around £500,000, meaning he may actually have cost slightly more than Rathbone in the end.
This all looks like money well spent – especially with Wrexham dropping just two points from four League One games this season.
Birmingham City spend far beyond Wrexham
So much of the talk has been around Birmingham City and Wrexham splashing the cash thanks to North American ownership.
Wrexham have definitely spent well and will no doubt have agreed hefty wages for certain signings – we can’t get away from that.
Yet when you look at Birmingham’s expenditure, they are far, far ahead of Wrexham.
Even just the deadline day deal for Jay Stansfield is worth an ‘initial £15million’ according to Sky Sports.
Add in big deals for the likes of Willum Thor Willumsson and Christoph Klarer and BBC Sport claim that Birmingham’s total spending for the summer is around £30million.
That is around 15 times what Wrexham have spent whilst shattering the League One transfer record.
Wrexham can spend more than many League One clubs but Birmingham are in a different universe right now as they look for an immediate return to the Championship.
The difference in summer spending is absolutely enormous and whilst Wrexham are investing well for League One level, it’s just nowhere near Birmingham’s outlay.