Barnsley's Stephen Humphrys reveals why Wrexham, Wigan Athletic switch was "off the table" | OneFootball

Barnsley striker Stephen Humphrys has opened up about his decision to reject a move to Wrexham during his time at Wigan Athletic.

Barnsley striker Stephen Humphrys has revealed that he turned down a move to Wrexham during his time at Wigan Athletic as he did not want to leave the Latics despite the Welsh club "paying really good wages".

Humphrys joined Wigan from Rochdale in the summer of 2021, and he helped his side to the League One title during his first season at the club, scoring seven goals and providing two assists in 49 games.

The 27-year-old then spent the 2022-23 campaign on loan at Scottish Premiership outfit Hearts, but he was brought back into the fold by Latics manager Shaun Maloney last season, and he finished as the club's top scorer with 11 goals in 46 appearances, while he also registered four assists.

Humphrys was the subject of a bid from then League Two side Wrexham in January, but despite being keen to extend his stay at Wigan, he departed the Brick Community Stadium in the summer at the end of his contract after failing to agree terms with the club.

Championship club Blackburn Rovers were said to be interested in Humphrys after he became a free agent, but he eventually joined Barnsley in late August, and he has enjoyed a decent start to life at Oakwell, scoring four goals in 13 appearances, including netting in each of his last two games.

Stephen Humphrys makes Wrexham transfer admission

Ahead of the reunion with his former club on Saturday, Humphrys opened up on his Wigan exit, and he revealed that he rejected a move to Wrexham in January, despite the Red Dragons offering him a lucrative financial package.

"I saw a lot of rumours online about the way I left, and I'll just tell the full story now, because it doesn't matter anymore," Humphrys told Wigan Today.

"So I was doing really well at Wigan last season, I was absolutely loving it, loving playing under Shaun Maloney, the way we played...and I thought surely a new contract offer would be coming in.

“I wanted to stay, I told the manager that, the manager wanted me to stay...he was telling me every day in training 'let's get this contract signed, Humps!'

"I kept telling him: 'Well I need an offer first'! So I'm not quite sure what the communication was like from higher up to him, but we didn't receive an offer for a good couple of months.

"When it did come in (just before Christmas), it was on reduced wages...and there's me thinking I was in the form of my career and I would be rewarded with a better contract, and we'll crack on.

"The manager had even spoken to me about being a future captain of the club, and I was really buying into it...but I just couldn't sign it.

"At the time, Wrexham had come in for me, who were paying really good wages...and I still didn't want to leave Wigan for Wrexham. I think they put an actual bid in for me, but I didn't want to leave Wigan, so that was Wrexham off the table.

"There was another club, in Europe, who also came in with really good money on the table. Again, I said no, I said 'let's get this sorted here, I want to stay'. But God's honest truth, there wasn't another contract offer from that day forward.

"My position was always: 'This is where I'm at, I'm turning down more money than I've been offered elsewhere, I'm more than happy to stay here for less money – not less than what I was on, but less than other clubs are offering'...because I wanted to stay."

Wigan Athletic may have Stephen Humphrys regret ahead of Barnsley reunion

Humphrys admitted that he was "genuinely gutted" to leave Wigan, and the Latics may regret not offering him a more attractive contract.

The fact that Humphrys turned down the chance to become part of Wrexham's exciting project to remain at the Brick Community Stadium was a clear indication of his commitment, but the striker was understandably reluctant to accept what he described as "a really poor offer" from the club.

Humphrys may not be the most prolific striker, but he was Wigan's main attacking threat last season, and given that Maloney's men are the second-lowest scorers in League One this term having found the back of the net on just 12 occasions, they may wish that they had tried harder to reach an agreement.

To add insult to injury for the Latics, Humphreys is coming into the game at Oakwell on Saturday in fine form, and he will be looking to get on the scoresheet for the third consecutive game against his former club.