Troy Deeney, Connor Wickham and the 10 strikers Wrexham could sign to cover for Paul Mullin after top scorer suffers punctured lung

These rumours just will not go away. What started out as a joke on McElhenney's part snowballed into genuine transfer rumours in late spring, with Gareth Bale's agent even having to come out and clarify his client's position on a move to Wrexham.

Even after these comments seemed to end the transfer saga, the speculation has refused to die down. While the majority of this clamour is simply Robins fans trying to will the move into existence, if Wrexham's story has taught us anything over the past few years it's that we can never rule anything out.

Even if he doesn't train and only plays 60 minutes, imagine how many goals Bale could score in the fourth tier of British football.

When Bogle was getting booed by Newport County fans after enduring a 15-match scoreless run, nobody would have expected him to respond by finishing the season on 17 goals, enough to leave him fourth in the League Two top-scorer rankings.

Bogle eventually broke his drought by netting a brace against high-flying Stevenage in February and after the game he spoke about the mental toll that the boo boys had on his psyche: “It’s hard to hear but as time went on, and it’s been over a month now, I’ve become immune to it. Even on Tuesday I heard some [shouts] at the beginning of the game, at first it got in my head but now it’s water off a duck’s back. I’ve never had it before with people getting at me, clapping and cheering in a negative way when I’ve been taken off. You just have to stay strong and the only way for me to respond is to put in good performances and score goals. I’ve just got to do my job."

To bounce back and finish the season so strongly - he scored seven times in County's final eight games - shows a real strength of character and it may have turned a few heads in north Wales.

The Exiles will not let him go without a fight, though. Additionally, his patchy scoring record raises a few concerns, particularly as he is unlikely to improve too much at the age of 29.

If Wrexham want to recruit younger, there are few strikers in this age bracket with higher potential than Ali Al-Hamadi. Still only 21, the Iraq international managed 10 goals in just 19 appearances for AFC Wimbledon during the 2022-23 campaign.

The fan-owned Dons are not exactly flushed with cash either, meaning Wrexham would easily be able to offer Al-Hamadi better wages should they decide to try and sign him. Saying that, reports suggest they could face competition from the likes of Burnley and Sheffield Wednesday - though those clubs' priorities may have shifted following their respective promotions.

As a player, Al-Hamadi is capable of scoring all sorts of goals, but he is probably best described as a poacher. His movement inside the box makes him a nightmare to defend against and he loves getting on the end of crosses.

Football League journeyman Gary Madine is available on a free transfer after Blackpool opted against offering him a new deal at the end of the 2022-23 season. He has a decent goal record throughout his career, though he has suffered off-field problems too.

In 2010, he was charged with causing actual bodily harm and sentenced to 250 hours community service. Three years later he was handed an 18-month prison sentence after assaulting two men in a Sheffield nightclub. While he has stayed out of trouble since, his arrival could cause PR issues for Wrexham - a club more sensitive than most to how social media and the wider world views them.

In terms of what he could bring on the pitch, Madine is the typical target man. He is physically imposing and capable of bringing his strike partner into play as well as finding the back of the net himself.

Out of contract after being released by Cardiff City is Connor Wickham. Still only 30 years old, Wickham has made well over 100 Premier League appearances, turning out in the top flight as recently as 2019 for Crystal Palace having previously impressed for Sunderland.

In more recent years Wickham has been bouncing around clubs in League One and the Championship, taking in spells with Sheffield Wednesday, MK Dons, Forest Green and most recently, Cardiff. His pedigree cannot be questioned, but injuries have been a serious problem lately.

At his best, Wickham is an explosive forward, capable of moving into the channels to stretch the defence and create chances. If he can maintain his fitness, he would be unstoppable in League Two. However, signing him on anything other than a short-term deal would be a risk for Wrexham.

Joe Taylor has completed a rags to riches story that rivals Wrexham's over the past few years. After impressing on loan at non-league Wroxham, where he plundered 20 goals in just 11 league games, parent club Kings Lynn sold him to Peterborough in November 2021.

He wasn't there long, though, with Luton Town snapping him up for an undisclosed fee in January 2023. Since joining he has made a handful of substitute appearances to help the Hatters secure an unlikely promotion to the Premier League. His most telling contributions came in the play-off final against Coventry, where he saw what would have been the winner ruled out for handball before cooly slotting his penalty away in the shootout.

As a result of Luton's promotion, Taylor's first-team prospects seem remote for the coming season and he could be offered the chance to head out on loan - and Wrexham could be tempted to get the Wales Under-21 international in to cover for and then partner Mullin this season. It will be a tough sell, though, as Taylor will no doubt be hoping to force his way into the team at Kenilworth Road.

Deeney has been without a club since his release from Birmingham City at the end of last season. He has focussed on his burgeoning media career over the summer, but has not ruled out returning to the field in some capacity.

A short-term stint at Wrexham might be the perfect final act of his unique career. Deeney is no stranger to the blood and thunder of the lower leagues, starting his career at lowly Chelmsley Town. And with a career in the media on his mind, increasing his international profile with a move to the one of the most-watched football clubs outside the Premier League wouldn't be the worst idea.

Martyn Waghorn has sometimes been described as a journeyman, but this is probably a little unkind. While he has never played in the Premier League and has moved around often, the hard-working striker has been appreciated everywhere he's been for his pressing and solid goal record.

Waghorn was most recently at Coventry City, spending the second half of the season on loan at struggling Huddersfield. Prior to that he enjoyed fruitful spells at Derby, Ipswitch and Rangers, so it's a surprise that no one has snapped him up on a free transfer this summer.

He was loosely linked with a return to Pride Park at the beginning of the window, but the transfer has not materialised. And with the season creeping closer, Waghorn may need to set his sights slightly lower down the pyramid. He should slot nicely into Parkinson's system, but a recent lack of goals could be an issue

Lewis Grabban was pretty instrumental in Nottingham Forest eventually building towards promotion, skippering the side until his exit in summer 2022. After that, he surprisingly opted to head to Saudi Arabia before it was fashionable, agreeing a short-term deal with Al-Ahli.

It didn't go well, with Grabban released after three months. The Athletic would later report that the striker was left chasing money he was owed, too. Grabban would not find another club last season and remains a free agent.

Although he is 35, the former Bournemouth man has scored bags of goals over his meandering career and could be convinced to take on one final challenge before he retires: getting Wrexham promoted to League One.

Alex Jakubiak came through the youth ranks at Watford before making a name for himself north of the border in Scotland. After moving to Dundee in 2020, though, he endured a testing time with injuries.

However, at the end of last season he found himself back in the first team, scoring a flurry of goals to help the Dark Blues secure Scottish Championship promotion. He had been eager to remain at the club, but was surprisingly released and remains in the search for a new challenge.

The stocky striker should have no issue adapting to the rigours of life in League Two and wouldn't cost Wrexham a penny, nor demand too much in wages.