Ryan Reynolds & Rob McElhenny taught ‘more difficult’ transfer lesson at Wrexham – but snubbing of ‘lucrative contract’ by top target not considered to be ‘an issue’
The Red Dragons had been hoping to welcome more experience onto their books in the summer window, with a move made to snap up former Republic of Ireland international Conor Hourihane as a free agent. A lucrative contract offer was put to the 33-year-old midfielder, but he has taken on a player-coaching role at League One rivals Barnsley.
Reynolds and McElhenney have grown accustomed to getting their own way while overseeing back-to-back promotions, but are now discovering that life in the third tier of English football is slightly more competitive and that Hollywood finances do not stretch quite as far.
Former EFL star Carlton Palmer sees no cause for concern in North Wales, but has told Football League World of Wrexham learning the hard way that recruitment business will not be easy to complete: “I don’t think you can read too much into Conor Hourihane signing for Barnsley on a free transfer. A lot of people are reading into the fact that Wrexham offered him a very lucrative contract, he was available on a free after leaving Derby County, and the fact that he turned them down, I don’t see this being an issue. The situation with Conor is that he was offered a player-coaches role, he’s 33, and he’s got Barnsley connections. So I would think all of those things factor into his decision not to go to Wrexham.
“Wrexham are on the up and up, and are doing really, really well – back-to-back promotions. They are going to face competition from other clubs, now that they’ve got up to League One, whereas they were down there, the Wrexham owners were throwing money at the job and paying people a lot of money. I think they will still be a very, very good project for some players to go to, but obviously in League One now competing with other big clubs who can pay those salaries, obviously it’s going to be more difficult for Wrexham to get signings over the line.
But this one, I wouldn’t make too much of an issue of Wrexham missing out on his signature, despite the big offer reported to have been offered by Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney. I don’t think too much can be read into that. The fact that he’d been offered a player-coaches role is more I think to do with his signature going to Barnsley, and his connection with the football club.”
Having missed out on Hourihane, Wrexham are now turning their attention elsewhere. McElhenney has admitted that further rounds of transfer talks are set to be held with Phil Parkinson in a bid to ensure that the right additions are made ahead of the 2024-25 campaign.
