Wrexham AFC landing Josh Windass deal would surely be final nail in the coffin for Red Dragons veteran | OneFootball

Wrexham are closing in on a deal for Josh Windass after his Sheffield Wednesday exit, which is bad news for Ollie Palmer.

Wrexham are preparing for life in the Championship after winning promotion from League One last season.

Wrexham were in the National League just over two years ago, but they achieved an unprecedented third consecutive promotion last season as their remarkable rise under the ownership of Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney continues.

The Red Dragons will return to the second tier of English football for the first time in 43 years next season, and they have brought in three new signings so far this summer in Ryan Hardie, Danny Ward and Liberato Cacace, with the latter arriving for a club-record fee of £4 million.

However, while Wrexham's early business has caught the eye, it appears they are far from done in the transfer market, and according to GIVEMESPORT, they are now closing in on the signing of forward Josh Windass, whose contract at troubled Sheffield Wednesday was terminated by mutual consent on Thursday.

The Red Dragons are said to have agreed personal terms with Windass, and it would be a big coup for the club if they are able to fight off competition from some of their Championship rivals land his signature, but striker Ollie Palmer is one player who may not be pleased with his imminent arrival.

Josh Windass, Wrexham developments could be bad news for Ollie Palmer

Windass finished last season as Wednesday's top scorer as they finished 12th in the Championship, with the 31-year-old scoring 13 goals in 47 appearances in all competitions, and he has no shortage of suitors after his exit from Hillsborough.

Norwich City and Coventry City are reportedly hoping to make a late move to sign Windass, while Derby County are also believed to be keen, but after reaching an agreement over personal terms, Wrexham are now firmly in pole position to win the race for the forward, and a medical has been scheduled to take place on Monday.

Windass is a proven performer at second tier level, and after signing Ryan Hardie, who scored 12 goals for relegated Plymouth Argyle last season, for a fee of just £700,000 earlier in the summer, the Red Dragons' forward line is now looking significantly stronger.

With a number of other strikers, including Jack Marriott, Jay Rodriguez and Sam Smith, already at the club, manager Phil Parkinson will face some big selection dilemmas next season, but the increased competition for places could spell bad news for Palmer.

Palmer joined Wrexham from AFC Wimbledon in the summer of 2022 for a fee of £300,000, and he has played a crucial role in their rise up the leagues, with the Welsh outfit winning promotion in each of his three seasons at the SToK Cae Ras.

The 33-year-old scored three goals and provided two assists in 31 appearances last season, with 27 of those coming from the start, but he last featured for the club all the way back in January, with the arrivals of Rodriguez and Smith meaning that he did not feature in a single matchday squad for the remainder of the campaign.

If Palmer was not in Parkinson's plans in League One, he is highly unlikely to have a future with the Red Dragons in the Championship, and while Windass is not necessarily an out-and-out striker, his arrival could be the final nail in the coffin for the former Lincoln City and Crawley Town man.

It was claimed that Wrexham could be one of the biggest spenders outside the Premier League this summer, and it seems they are now preparing to splash the cash, with journalist Alan Nixon revealing on Sunday that they are willing to fork out as much as £10 million on a new striker.

The Red Dragons have been unable to land a big-money number nine so far this summer, but Parkinson is set to be given strong backing by Reynolds and McElhenney in his search for a new striker, which will surely be an even bigger cause for concern for Palmer than the expected signing of Windass.

Wrexham have already proven this summer that they are willing to make ruthless decisions, with striker Paul Mullin, who became one of the figureheads of the early days of Reynolds and McElhenney's ownership, departing to join League One side Wigan Athletic on loan last month.

Fellow striker Steven Fletcher helped the Red Dragons to two promotions during his two-year spell at the club, but he was released at the end of his contract this summer, so they would likely have no hesitation in offloading Palmer if they receive a suitable offer.

Given Reynolds and McElhenney's ambitious plans for Wrexham, there is little room for sentiment in the transfer market, but while Palmer's time at the SToK Cae Ras looks certain to be coming to an end, he has established cult hero status at the club through his role in their recent success.