Phil Parkinson can bolster his Wrexham midfield by signing a ‘genius’ to replace captain Luke Young.
Wrexham carved an instant passage into League One after winning promotion at the first time of asking.
Work is now underway behind the scenes for Phil Parkinson and his colleagues to assemble a squad capable of challenging in the third tier.
The Welsh side already have a strong core, including Paul Mullin, Elliot Lee and Eoghan O’Connell, but some gaps do need plugging.
A goalkeeper is certainly a position of priority following the expiry of Arthur Okonkwo’s loan, as is a new left-back, striker and central midfielder.
The latter became more pressing after watching Luke Young depart the club. Parkinson claimed it was a difficult decision to let his captain go however, he wants him to become a star elsewhere as minutes weren’t guaranteed in the engine room.
Wrexham should sign Bradley Dack on a free transfer
Parkinson has a plethora of quality options to choose from in midfield, including George Evans, Lee, Andy Cannon and James McClean.
Those options would significantly strengthen with the addition of Bradley Dack, who has just been released from his Sunderland contract.
Dack was only signed by the Black Cats last summer and although he showed some promise on Wearside, injuries ultimately curtailed his chance of impressing at the Stadium of Light.
The 30-year-old made just six starts in the Championship, scoring his only goal for the club in a 5-0 thumping of Southampton in September.
Dack’s stock has dropped significantly since he was touted for a Premier League move five years ago having netted 15 goals in the 2018/19 second tier campaign.
As a result, the attacking midfielder – who was once described as a “genius” by Tony Mowbray – will perhaps need to drop down to League One, a level he’s flourished at in the past.
The Englishman netted 48 goals and supplied 40 assists in 186 appearances during his time in the third tier, evincing his quality to operate in this division.
Although wages could be a stumbling block, Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds have shown they can attract high-profile players and Dack is someone they should certainly consider.
Where Dack would fit in at Wrexham
Dack did miss 20 matches at Sunderland through a thigh injury, so there is an element of risk to signing him however, it could pay off.
The midfield metronome is at his best when he’s occupying space between the lines as he’s comfortable at taking the ball on the half turn and dropping the shoulder.
He would bring added levels of quality to Wrexham’s midfield, demonstrated by his 89% pass completion and three big chances created in the Championship last term.
Not only that but adding Dack to Parkinson’s roster would allow Lee to have a rest.
The West Ham academy graduate looked burnt out towards the end of the campaign after playing in all but one of their matches in the league.
Capturing someone with the creativity and goal threat of Dack would eliminate that problem and give Wrexham a quality operator in League One.
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