'Instant impact' - Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney targeting Premier League stars as Phil Parkinson lifts lid on Wrexham's transfer plans

After securing a third straight promotion, Wrexham will play Championship football in the 2025-26 season. The club's rapid rise through the leagues has led to speculation owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney will once again splash out to strengthen the squad in the summer transfer window and stars such as Jamie Vardy, Tom Cairney and Callum Wilson have already been linked with potential moves to Wrexham.

Reynolds has already said Wrexham will be "as aggressive as we can possibly be" in the transfer market as they look to build a squad able to compete in the second tier of English football. Parkinson has now been quizzed on potential summer transfers and admits the club are hoping to lure Premier League stars to the Welsh club.

He told The Athletic: "The loan market is something we are looking at. It’s all about touching base with the Premier League loans managers, making sure we have an understanding of who could become available. A lot of those players will probably go back and start pre-season with their clubs because managers like numbers around them for pre-season games. We can probably attract a better calibre of player than we’d have been able to do in the past.

He went on to add: “Premier League teams are reluctant to loan out their elite players into League One. You also have to remember that, with loan players, there’s a certain expectation they will play. Sometimes from the clubs and sometimes from the player. It is about their development. You have to be careful of that. You have to make sure you don’t make false promises to a player. He comes in, doesn’t play, and you end up with a disgruntled player and a damaged reputation with a Premier League club. It has to be a player you believe can make an instant impact and is going to make a significant contribution as the season goes on.”

Parkinson also admitted that the jump in quality from League One to the Championship will be a challenge for his side. He explained: "The quality level goes up. Power and pace are key. You look at the physical data and it jumps from League Two to League One but then it goes up again (in the Championship), certainly in high-speed running and the sprint distance and the power of the players.

“We need to be ready for that. But what an amazing challenge, including working with the players we have got. And how everyone has to step things up, just as they have after previous promotions. What a challenge for lads like Max [Cleworth], who has come up the divisions with us. Can he go again? There are a lot of interesting situations with our current players. But a real determination from a lot of them to say, ‘Yeah, this is an opportunity to go and play in the second tier, one of the hardest and most competitive divisions in world football’.”

Wrexham will clearly try to strengthen their squad over the summer to prepare for life in the Championship. The Welsh club are set to kick off pre-season preparations in July when they head to Australia and New Zealand and fixtures against Melbourne Victory, Sydney FC and Wellington Phoenix on July 19.