16 hours Ago
Phil Parkinson could have been forgiven for turning to former British Prime Minister Harold Macmillan for inspiration when facing questions on the upcoming winter transfer window. Asked about the greatest challenge for anyone leading the country, which he did from 1957 to 1963, Macmillan famously replied: “Events, dear boy, events.” Advertisement Wrexham have certainly had to contend with plenty of unforeseen “events” during the past couple of months.
Injuries to key players have led to a shift in thinking for the January transfer window. Losing one goalkeeper to a serious injury is inconvenient but having two of them on the sidelines long-term can derail a club’s season, so there was much relief when a scan on Arthur Okonkwo ’s broken wrist just before Christmas showed it was healing as planned. With backup goalkeeper Callum Burton already ruled out for the season with a torn thigh muscle, being deprived of first-choice Okonkwo for another couple of months would have meant dipping into the market for a loan replacement.
Instead, Wrexham can take their time, knowing their No 1 should return early in the new year. Okonkwo’s recovery, together with Matty James signing a new contract until 2026 after initially joining on a short-term deal amid another injury nightmare in midfield, means the main focus over the coming weeks can be on pepping up their forward line — Jack Marriott hasn’t played in the league since October 5, yet he’s still their second-leading League One goalscorer with five. Even then, though, Marriott’s recovery from a broken leg also being ahead of schedule means a degree of flexible thinking will be needed.
It promises to be a fascinating month as Wrexham chase that third consecutive promotion and a return to English football’s second tier. What positions will Wrexham be looking at in January? Not for the first time with Wrexham in recent years, the upcoming window will be all about bolstering the forward line. And if the right target becomes available, there are unlikely to be any qualms about breaking their transfer record, set last summer when bringing in Mo Faal from West Bromwich Albion of the Championship for £590,000 ($740,000).
Advertisement Faal, 21, has always been seen very much as a project, a player to develop with a view to him blossoming into a lynchpin of the team. That moment still seems some way off, hence his lack of League One minutes in the first half of the season. Marriott’s injury, together with Paul Mullin ’s struggles to rediscover his scoring touch, means the onus has fallen on others.
Ollie Palmer , fresh from signing a new one-year extension in the autumn, has started all but one of the 21 league games and worked tirelessly for the cause. His energy and physical strength in both penalty areas have played a big part in Wrexham’s seamless return to the third tier. But the 32-year-old has found the net just three times in his 21 league appearances.
With Steven Fletcher having scored twice in 15 games (though he’s started just once) and Mullin once in 19 (five starts), more goals are needed from the club’s front men. A new backup goalkeeper may still be on the cards, even allowing for the positive news over Okonkwo and fellow goalkeeper Luke McNicholas, who suffered a serious groin injury in mid-November while on loan at non-League Rochdale. A decision on that will be taken between now and New Year.
Otherwise, it seems any other possible moves will be dependent on fringe players leaving to create space on the wage bill. Which players do they want? Had EFL rules allowed Wrexham to bring in a goalkeeper as emergency cover after Burton joined Okonkwo in the treatment room, chances are Thimothee Lo-Tutala would already be here on loan from Hull City . The 21-year-old Frenchman, fourth-choice at the Championship club, had a hugely impressive loan spell at Doncaster Rovers in League Two in the second half of last season.
His save to deny Fletcher near the end of Wrexham’s 1-0 defeat away to the Yorkshire club in April was arguably one of the best against Parkinson’s men all campaign. Advertisement With veteran Mark Howard still available, those hopes of bringing in Lo-Tutala, who had travelled from Hull for the EFL Trophy home game against Crewe Alexandra on December 10, were dashed. A deal could be resurrected but Wrexham also have other options should it be decided that a goalkeeper is needed as insurance against Okonwko suffering another injury.
It is a similar story up front. Michael Smith was Parkinson’s main target back in the summer only to be rebuffed by his club, Sheffield Wednesday of the Championship. Smith’s return of five goals in the league despite mainly being deployed as a substitute this season vindicates that decision to keep him at Hillsborough.
The 6ft 4in (193cm) striker would have suited Wrexham’s style. A like-for-like replacement in January would help take the burden off Palmer, whose all-action leading of the line, week after week, means a rest will surely be needed at some stage. With Fletcher, who turns 38 in March, seeming to suit a cameo role from the bench, any addition will likely be in the target-man mould.
Whether Wrexham’s striker search extends to a second new face up front remains to be seen. Mullin retains the belief and support of the coaching staff that he can rediscover that scoring touch, just as he did last season following a barren run early in 2024 . With Marriott also possibly back sooner than expected, this again points towards the primary focus being on a big man.
Who will they be looking to sell? January is likely to all be about additions capable of bolstering those promotion hopes but Wrexham’s squad will continue to evolve. Several players are out of contract in the summer, which, considering how good the club have been at agreeing terms with key performers, suggests a parting of the ways in the offing. This may tempt an offer or two in January from any interested party.
Advertisement Sam Dalby and Jordan Davies — currently out on loan at Dundee United and Grimsby Town respectively — fall into this category along with Jacob Mendy , Anthony Forde , Billy Waters , Fletcher and Howard . James Jones ’ contract is also due to end in June but this can be extended by a clause triggered by a certain number of appearances, while Fletcher’s earlier-than-expected return to fitness has seen Jon Dadi Bodvarsson , signed as a free agent in November, drop out of the frame in the league. His short-term deal ends next month.
Will anyone move out on loan? Waters and Jake Bickerstaff are due to return from loans in the fifth-tier National League at Halifax Town and Altrincham. Neither is expected to be the answer to Wrexham’s lack of goals up front, so both players heading back out on loan may well be in everyone’s best interests. Dalby , the Scottish Premiership ’s top scorer with eight goals, will be interesting.
His season-long loan deal does include a break clause in January, meaning he can be recalled. Davies (three goals in nine League Two games for Grimsby) is in the same position, adding another intriguing aspect to the upcoming window. What moves have they made already? As with previous windows, Wrexham will head into January with multiple targets for each position that Parkinson feels needs strengthening.
Feelers have been put out to clubs and agents along those lines but, as with a year ago, a relative lack of football — Wrexham play just twice in the league in the first half of next month — means there will be no undue rush to push through any deals in haste. Who will make the key decisions in January? Parkinson. He works closely with director Shaun Harvey on all aspects of recruitment, identifying who he wants and who can go before handing over negotiations to the former EFL chief executive.
This is not to say others don’t have an input, with other members of the coaching staff and Chris Johnson, the head of recruitment, all having their say. But the final decision always rests with the manager. What sort of budget do they have? It’s difficult to say.
For all the talk about Wrexham “buying their way to success”, the actual spending on transfers has been modest, with the fee on Faal being the highest they have paid. Contrast that with Birmingham City’s eye-watering outlay this term in League One or even the seven-figure sum Bolton Wanderers , also of the third tier, paid for Luton Town ’s John McAtee , edging Wrexham out of the running in the process. There is, though, a recognition among the Wrexham hierarchy that the next few months represent a golden opportunity to make it three promotions in a row, so expect Parkinson to be backed should the right target(s) become available.
What is the manager’s priority? Sorting that forward line out so that, as with the past two seasons, Wrexham possess the attacking threat required to win another promotion. (Top photos: Getty Images).
