Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson reveals ‘no superstars, no egos’ transfer policy amid links to free agents Jamie Vardy and Kevin De Bruyne
Wrexham’s summer squad overhaul will be built around a ‘no superstars and no egos’ policy as the club push for the Premier League, though manager Phil Parkinson displayed no surprise when Jamie Vardy and Kevin De Bruyne’s names were put to him as targets after a record-breaking third promotion.
When victory was sealed with a 3-0 win against fellow promotion challengers Charlton Athletic, the club’s Hollywood co-owner Ryan Reynolds maintained his oft-repeated declaration that ‘our goal is to make the Premier League.’
The likely leap in sponsorship revenues and multiple new documentary series that Championship football should bring mean the club can target former Premier League players.
Vardy and De Bruyne are free agents, albeit the Belgian’s £400,000-a-week Manchester City salary seems to put him way out of reach.
Jonny Evans, Ashley Young and possibly Newcastle United’s Callum Wilson could fall into the same category.
Parkinson, who has now secured six promotions as a manager, said that the club ‘always have our eye on players who are free transfers and are going to be available and will continue to do that.’
Wrexham co-owners Rob McElhenney (left) and Ryan Reynolds pictured celebrating on Saturday after overseeing a third promotion in three seasons
Manager Phil Parkinson kissed his medal after his team sealed promotion from League One
But he cautioned against damaging the collectivism which has been a characteristic of Wrexham’s rise from the National League.
He said: ‘I think it’s interesting because the jump in salaries is incredible – mind-blowing.
‘Even coming up to [League One] level, the jump to get players of Championship quality is expensive but obviously with the next level, I don’t think people outside football quite realise.
‘We’ve always tried to make sure the culture in the club is right and I think that’s key – no superstars, no egos in the dressing room – and we’ve got to try and get that balance right again.
‘You always need extra quality when you go up a level to make sure the right people come into the building.’
This promotion presents Wrexham, who have surpassed Swansea City and Wimbledon’s records of three promotions in four years, with their biggest financial challenge yet under Hollywood ownership.
Kevin De Bruyne will soon be a free agent but his wages would likely be too high for Wrexham
Jamie Vardy is another Premier League star who will be available on a free transfer on June 30
The £200million Steve Gibson has invested in Middlesbrough and Steve Lansdown’s £160m at Bristol City demonstrate the scale of outlay involved for those trying to make the promised land.
Asked if Wrexham would again recruit players who could enable them to compete at the top end of their division, Parkinson said: ‘We need to evaluate in terms of the budget, the level of wages those players are going to demand and enhance that quality with the culture and what we have built here.
‘The good thing about getting up [early] is we’ve got time now to sit back, reflect on this and sit down with the owners.’
No discussions had taken place regarding De Bruyne or Vardy, he said.
