Josh Windass transfer truth emerges as Rangers eye Wrexham deal | OneFootball

Josh Windass has been linked with a potential return to Rangers

Wrexham narrowly missed out on a place in the play-offs on the final day of the Championship season, and now they face a battle to retain key players like Josh Windass.

The Red Dragons finished seventh in the table under Phil Parkinson in the club’s first campaign at that level in over 40 years.

The Welsh outfit had earned promotion three consecutive campaigns, and were immediately competitive in the second tier.

A 2-2 draw against Middlesbrough led to Parkinson’s side falling two points behind sixth-place Hull City, who went on to achieve promotion with a win over Boro in the play-off final.

Wrexham’s attention will now turn to the transfer window, where they will be hoping to bolster the squad in order to maintain their place inside the top seven.

The play-offs will expand to include the top eight from next season, meaning they were the last team to miss out on the competition with a seventh place finish.

Phil Parkinson opens up on Josh Windass exit links

It was reported earlier this week that Josh Windass is attracting interest from his former club Rangers after a strong campaign at the Racecourse Ground.

The 32-year-old made the switch to Wrexham last summer as a free agent, but there is now speculation over a possible exit after just 12 months, with the Glasgow outfit reigniting their interest from the January window earlier this year.

However, Parkinson has claimed that they received no offers for Windass in the winter market, and that they have no intention of letting any of their star players leave this summer.

He believes it is natural for their players to receive attention in the transfer market, but he’s suggested the club are in a strong position to hold onto the likes of Windass going into the next campaign.

"There was no contact in January for Josh, not officially," said Parkinson, via the Evening Leader.

"Josh is our player, he had a good season and we are looking forward to him building on that next year.

"We are looking to add to the quality we have got, not lose it.

"I think we would be disappointed if there wasn't some interest in our players.

"It is inevitable but we have got the key players we want on long contracts and we are in a good position on that front.

"We are looking to build on what we did last year and improve the squad to make us really competitive again."

Windass contributed an impressive 16 goals and five assists for the Red Dragons this season as they finished seventh in the table.

However, it wasn’t enough for the club to earn a place in the play-offs, with the team dropping out of the top six on the final day.

The 32-year-old previously spent two seasons with Rangers, where he registered 13 goals and 11 assists from 55 appearances in the Premiership.

Windass signed a three-year deal when he joined Wrexham last summer, meaning his contract doesn’t expire until June 2028, giving the Championship side leverage in any negotiations this year.

Wrexham have to keep Josh Windass this summer

Windass was an excellent signing for Wrexham last year, and it’s hard to imagine the team contending for a top six finish without his goals.

It would have to take a sizable offer from Rangers in order to convince the club to cash in at this stage, which seems unlikely given he is now 32.

It’s not surprising that Danny Rohl is keen on a reunion with the forward, given how well they worked together at Sheffield Wednesday.

But Wrexham should hold firm and do what they can to ensure Windass is in Parkinson’s side next season as he can help the team fight for promotion again in 2027.