Wrexham AFC bid turned down by League Two rivals for right wing-back

Luke Bolton is the Red Dragons’ top target to strengthen at right wing-back, but Salford City have rebuffed their initial advances

Wrexham are yet to make any significant moves in the January transfer window in a bid to bolster their squad for the final few months of the season, but business could be done between now and the transfer deadline on February 1.

The Red Dragons sit second in the League Two table, just two points behind Stockport County, and they have reportedly flexed their muscles by trying to sign Wigan Athletic forward Stephen Humphrys this week, which comes after they recently turned their backs on trying to go for Peterborough attacker Jonson Clarke-Harris.

It is not just up-front where manager Phil Parkinson is trying to strengthen his options though, even if their league position does suggest that Wrexham are pretty strong all over the pitch, but now it looks like a new right wing-back is on the club’s agenda.

According to Football Insider, the North Wales outfit have attempted a raid on their fourth tier rivals Salford City for versatile right-sided player Luke Bolton.

Wrexham have had an offer turned down for the 24-year-old Man City academy graduate however, and it remains to be seen as to whether they go back in with a fresh bid for Bolton, who has notched four League Two assists for the Ammies this season.

Bolton was on the books at Premier League champions City until 2022 but he never played a first-team match for them, instead making his professional debut on loan at Wycombe Wanderers in 2019 at the age of 19.

A further loan stint away from the Etihad Stadium followed in the 2019-20 season with Luton Town of the Championship, where he featured 28 times in all competitions, and in 2020 he headed to the Scottish Premiership with Dundee United for the entirety of 2020-21.

Finally moving on from City in January 2022, Bolton joined Salford and in the last two years he has played 91 times for the side currently manager by Karl Robinson, scoring six goals and notching 14 assists from a variety of positions.

Bolton is yet to get on the scoresheet this season from 22 appearances in all competitions, with the majority of his appearances coming as a wing-back or a right winger, but he has occasionally played as a central midfielder as well.

Bolton bid could spell trouble for current Wrexham wing-backs

Wrexham’s squad isn’t exactly the smallest, and the 22-player outfield player limits for League Two clubs meant that faces such as Liam McAlinden, Callum McFadzean, Bryce Hosannah and Billy Waters did not get a place following the September cut-off.

Only Waters has been moved out of the club this month, so there is still work to do to try and get some of the fringe players off the books or else they will be clogging up the wage bill – the targeting of Bolton though suggests that there could be a departure this month for either Anthony Forde or Ryan Barnett.

They have made 29 appearances between them at the right wing-back position in League Two this season, but you’d imagine that Bolton would be coming in to be a starter with the experience and talent he has.

Bolton down one flank and James McClean down the other would be a dangerous duo in the fourth tier, but that would mean one of Forde or Barnett drops to third choice – and surely Wrexham cannot afford to carry three right wing-backs who are solid options for Parkinson should they agree a fee with Salford.