Arthur Okonkwo signs: Phil Parkinson will be on cloud nine if these things happen at Wrexham AFC | OneFootball

Wrexham AFC are currently riding on the crest of a wave under the stewardship of manager Phil Parkinson.

After 15 years spent in the doldrums of the National League, the 56-year-old has delivered back-to-back promotions for the first time in the club's history.

Repeating that feat again in League One could be a tough ask, with the likes of Birmingham City, Huddersfield Town and Bolton Wanderers representing far bigger opponents than the Red Dragons have faced since the start of their Hollywood revolution.

As attention turns to the summer transfer window, you can be sure the former Sunderland boss will have a long list of targets and will be well-backed by Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.

Parkinson has already made room in his squad after allowing several high-profile players to depart, including Ben Tozer, Aaron Hayden and Luke Young.

Here, Football League World looks at what Wrexham's ideal summer business would look like.

Arthur Okonkwo signs permanently

Goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo made a huge impression during his spell on loan at Wrexham from Arsenal last term.

His assured performances between the sticks belied his young age and were crucial in helping to shore up their leaky defence following the shock departure of Ben Foster early in the season.

The 22-year-old kept 14 clean sheets in the league, putting him in third in the League Two table in terms of shut-outs.

Both Stockport's Ben Hinchcliffe and AFC Wimbledon's Alex Bass were ahead of him, but with the former having played ten more games than Okonkwo and the latter eight.

Parkinson has made no secret of the fact he'd like to keep him at the Racecourse permanently and said that the club is working hard to achieve that.

Despite his impressive performances, the Gunners have confirmed that he will leave the Emirates this summer when his contract expires.

However, Wrexham face stiff competition for Okonkwo's signature, with both Premier League and Championship sides reportedly pursuing him.

Making his stay in North Wales permanent won't be easy, but the Red Dragons will struggle to find a better keeper to aid their bid for another promotion.

Wrexham sign Marc Leonard (or another young starlet)

One name Wrexham have recently been linked with a move for is Brighton and Hove Albion starlet Marc Leonard.

The 22-year-old midfielder has been in fine form during the last two seasons on loan at Northampton Town, so much so that he has been described as one of the best players to ever play for the Cobblers by their manager.

He is an all-rounder in the middle of the park and was among the top players in League One last term in terms of his passing, tackling, and ability to intercept the ball.

The Scotsman is certainly a man in demand, with Championship clubs such as Cardiff City and newly relegated Sheffield United also reported to be showing an interest.

However, regardless of whether they're successful in signing Leonard, he is exactly the sort of player they should be looking at in terms of his profile.

Parkinson has often relied on experienced pros to lead his side during his time in charge of Wrexham so far.

There are exceptions, such as youth product Max Cleworth in defence, but moving into League One opens up a host of possibilities in terms of attracting young talent from higher divisions, whether that's on loan or permanently.

The fact that any players who are under 21 at the start of the calendar year don't have to be included in Parkinson's 22-man squad is another incentive.

One piece of business that Parkinson should consider this summer is sending Sam Dalby out on loan.

The striker first joined Wrexham from Southend United in 2022 and was part of the team that helped them clinch promotion from the National League.

During their record-breaking 2023/24 season, he scored six league goals and made 41 appearances, starting on nine occasions and coming on as a substitute 32 times.

There were plenty of promising signs in the 24-year-old's debut campaign, with one of his most impressive performances coming during the Red Dragons' 4-3 slaying of Coventry City in the FA Cup.

Dalby scored the opener as Wrexham pulled off one of the shocks of the third round.

However, he struggled to impose himself in League Two last term, registering just one goal as veteran forward Steven Fletcher pushed ahead of him in the pecking order.

Parkinson clearly sees something in Dalby, as evidenced by the manager triggering a one-year extension to his contract in October 2023.

Speaking at the time, the manager said: “We were always going to extend Sam’s contract because he is a good young striker who is only going to get better.

“He’s got a lot of potential, and we are looking forward to continuing working with him.”

The ideal situation for both parties would see Dalby sent out on loan to a League Two club to continue his development.