Barry Bannan to Wrexham AFC concern raised after Sheffield Wednesday links | OneFootball

The Sheffield Wednesday captain is out of contract this summer, and hasn't been tied down by the Owls as of yet

This article is part of Football League World’s ‘Terrace Talk‘ series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Wrexham have yet again been linked with an experienced head who can still provide at a solid level ahead of their upcoming Championship campaign.

Already this summer, the likes of Tom Cairney, Danny Ings and Tom Lawrence have been rumoured about a switch to The Racecourse Ground.

And now, The Sun have reported that the Red Dragons are interested in Barry Bannan, with question marks surrounding his future at Sheffield Wednesday still hanging in the balance, with the 35-year-old out of contract at the end of the month.

Bannan still managed 41 Championship appearances last term, proving how he can still hang with the best of them in the second tier despite heading towards the twilight of an impressive career which has spanned over 600 games.

But FLW's Wrexham fan pundit, Liam Grice, is growing tired of these links and hopes that his club will focus more on players with a higher ceiling than Bannan, despite his clear talents.

Barry Bannan's wages are too high for the limited output at Wrexham, according to fan pundit

"These are the types of players we've been linked with all summer so far, players with great experience who have done it at the level," Grice said, with a hint of frustration.

"There is a good player in Barry Bannan," he admitted. "But he's 35, he was on a lot of money at Sheffield Wednesday, at least from what's been reported, and I don't think we should be chucking nearly as much in terms of wages at him for a player of his age."

Per Capology, Barry Bannan earned just shy of £25,000 per week last season for Sheffield Wednesday, seeing him be the highest earner in Danny Rohl's side. In terms of outfielders in the Championship, Jonny Howson and Moussa Sissoko were the only players older than 35-year-old Bannan to reportedly earn more.

Grice outlined his intentions for his side this transfer window, saying: "We have to be looking for younger, perhaps less experienced but more room to grow types of players that can serve us for three to four years.

"Bannan would be given a one, maybe two, year contract, and that wouldn't really make much financial sense despite his quality, in my opinion."

Despite reports, Grice may be getting his wish, as more recent reports from the Sheffield Star state that Bannan looks set to commit to Sheffield Wednesday next season, even whilst the club is in financial instability.

If this proves to be the case, then it could represent a missed opportunity for Wrexham in terms of signing a real leader with nearly 400 games of Championship experience, but it could also be a blessing in disguise for Phil Parkinson's side.

With a plethora of players already in their 30s, Wrexham are spoiled for choice when it comes to having experienced heads in the changing room, and ahead of one of their most challenging seasons to date in 2025/26, having players who can solidify themselves in the side for years to come should clearly be the aim.

The last few seasons have seen Wrexham build a side to achieve a short-term goal. Perhaps now it is time for the club to settle down and look at achieving Premier League promotion as a target in a few seasons' time.