The three Wrexham AFC players who, this summer, might draw significant transfer interest
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Some of the Red Dragons’ top players are sure to draw transfer interest in the summer after achieving back-to-back promotions.
Max Cleworth, Elliot Lee, and Paul Mullin are Wrexham footballers.
KEY POINTS
With almost 100 goals in just three seasons as a prominent member of Wrexham, Paul Mullin is a target for Championship sides.
Championship clubs expressed interest in Elliot Lee, another offensive weapon, and he signed a contract extension that lasted until 2027.
Despite the opposition of the supporters, defender Max Cleworth, who has the ability to play at a higher level, might be sold to stabilize Wrexham’s finances.
For the first time in the club’s illustrious history, Wrexham AFC secured back-to-back promotions in the previous season.
Since taking over the Red Dragons in 2021, Phil Parkinson has put up an outstanding roster full of quality players, supported by Hollywood owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.
As his team gets preparing for life in League One, the former Sunderland boss has already started to restructure his roster.
To create place for fresh faces, well-known figures including Rob Lainton, Luke Young, Ben Tozer, and Aaron Hayden have all been discharged.
Parkinson has mostly made his own decisions about player exits during his tenure at Wrexham, but higher league teams could always be interested in signing their star players in the summer.
Here, FLW examines if the team should think about selling the three players who are most likely to draw interest from other teams.
2023–2024 League Two standings
Paul Mullin
Paul Mullin Wrexham Cheering Supporters
Since arriving to Wrexham in the summer of 2021, Paul Mullin has proven to be a tremendous asset to the team.
Over the last three seasons, the striker has scored over 100 goals for the North Walian team. With 24 league goals in 2023–24, he once again finished as their top scorer.
Due to his accomplishments, he was named the PFA Fans’ Player of the Year for League Two as well as the club’s Player of the Season.
Mullin received these honors in spite of missing the beginning of the season due to a lung puncture and many fractured ribs sustained during a preseason game in the US.
Due to his impressive goal scoring record, he would undoubtedly be a desirable target for Championship clubs.
It seems highly unlikely that Wrexham will sell their lucky charm, though, given that he extended his contract with the team in January, keeping him there until 2027.
It is not only unlikely, but it would also be a stupid move—strikers who can assure you of at least 20 goals in a season are as few as chicken teeth.
That means that selling Mullin should always be rejected, no matter how big the offer.
Elliott Lee Theodore Lee
Elliot Lee, a midfielder, is another excellent offensive weapon for the Red Dragons.
According to Transfermarkt, the 29-year-old filled in for Mullin early in the season for Wrexham in League Two, scoring 16 goals and dishing out five assists.
At one point, it was said that Lee’s skills attracted the attention of Birmingham City and the Championship.
He joined Wrexham on a free transfer from Luton Town in the summer of 2022, giving him experience playing in the second tier.
So, it wouldn’t be shocking if teams in the division kept an eye on him in advance of the next transfer window.
It was earlier said by former England international Carlton Palmer to FLW that a “unrefusable offer” would be necessary to complete a deal, and in January, Lee also signed a contract extension through 2027.
The midfielder, like Mullin, is essential to Parkinson’s team’s style of play, thus the club shouldn’t think of selling him.
Max Cleworth
Max Cleworth
Max Cleworth is a defender who hasn’t received as much attention as Mullin and Lee.
Since moving up from the club’s development system into the main squad in 2021, the 21-year-old has already made nearly 100 appearances for Wrexham.
In League Two, the youthful center back first had trouble breaking into Parkinson’s starting lineup.
But starting in mid-December, he established himself as an indispensable member of the defense, turning in some very strong performances.
Lee Fowler, the former midfielder for Wrexham, has predicted that Cleworth will perform at a better level.
“I think he’s got to the stage now where he’s ready to play in the Championship,” he stated in an interview with the newspaper Leader. He’s getting promoted, and his worth will only increase.
“Max’s upcoming season will be crucial if a Premiership or Championship team is considering him.”
With his potential, Cleworth is a player Wrexham would be reluctant to lose, but given their financial situation, they have a good case to sell him if a substantial offer is made.
Based on the most recent financial records of the club, proprietors Reynolds and McElhenney owe roughly £9 million in loans that have been utilized to finance the Red Dragons thus far.
So, the temptation might be to profit by offloading him to a higher-up side in an attempt to assist Wrexham get back on a more solid financial foundation.
In summary, the club ought to give Cleworth’s departure considerable thought, even if it would be devastating for fans.
