Barnsley FC and Peterborough facing new Wrexham transfer hurdle | OneFootball

Harry Ashfield's future at Wrexham is the subject of speculation following his loan spell at Chesterfield

Wrexham narrowly missed out on a play-off place in their first year in the Championship.

Phil Parkinson’s side finished seventh in the table, with a 2-2 draw against Middlesbrough on the final day causing them to fall out of the top six to Hull City.

The Red Dragons will take a lot of encouragement from their first campaign at that level in over 40 years.

The Welsh outfit earned three consecutive promotions on their way to the Championship, including coming second in League One in 2025.

The club will now be targeting another top eight finish in 2027, with the play-offs expanding from next season to include two more teams.

The summer will prove crucial to their hopes of another promotion push, with Parkinson keen to bolster the first team squad for the next term.

Wrexham face Harry Ashfield transfer interest

It has been reported by Sports Illustrated that both Barnsley and Peterborough United have made contact with Wrexham regarding the future of Harry Ashfield.

The Red Dragons will only consider serious offers for the 20-year-old, although the possibility remains that he could go out on loan.

The youngster is expected to play a major role in the early part of pre-season, meaning any decision on his future may have to wait until after that point.

Ashfield has come through the Wrexham academy system, but spent the second half of this season on loan with Chesterfield in League Two.

He made 14 league appearances, helping the team earn a play-off place, contributing two goals and one assist.

The youngster has now returned to Wrexham, but is attracting interest from League One, with both Peterborough and Barnsley keen on his signature.

It’s believed that Ashfield won’t be a major part of Parkinson’s plans for next season, with the Welsh side aiming to compete for promotion to the Premier League.

This could open the door for either a temporary or permanent exit, but it could be weeks before any decision is made.

No price tag has been set for the playmaker, but it’s understood that Wrexham will only consider major offers for Ashfield at this stage.

Barnsley have appointed Daniel Stendel as their new head coach, and he will be keen to bolster the team’s attacking options in the coming months.

Meanwhile, Peterborough narrowly avoided relegation to League Two under Luke Williams, who will now oversee his first summer in charge of the Posh.

Harry Ashfield League One loan would make a lot of sense for Wrexham

Ashfield showed in the second half of the season that he’s ready for senior game time, and he might even be capable of making the step up to League One at this stage.

A loan move to any side in the division would make sense provided he will be guaranteed consistent minutes.

It would be too soon for the Red Dragons to cash in on him with a permanent deal, as he has the potential to be quite useful for Parkinson’s side in the long run.

But it might be a step too far too soon just yet for him to play regularly in the Championship, so a loan move this summer would be a positive step.