Wrexham have been urged to raid Championship rivals Norwich City for dynamic frontman Jovon Makama, with former boss Andy Morrell labelling him the ideal "younger version of Kieffer Moore." Phil Parkinson's side took the second tier by storm during their debut campaign, securing an impressive seventh-place finish and narrowly missing out on the play-offs following three consecutive promotions.
Transfer Strategy
Having splashed out more than £30million last summer on blockbuster recruits like Nathan Broadhead, Callum Doyle and Ben Sheaf, Hollywood owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac are preparing for a slightly quieter transfer window this time around. However, Morrell believes adding a physical, dynamic attacking outlet remains the top priority.
Discussing potential targets for Wrexham this summer, Morrell singled out 22-year-old Canaries forward Jovon Makama, who caught the eye with a breakout ten-goal Championship campaign last season. He told the Star: "I really like Makama at Norwich. He has a bit of everything and I think that sort of profile is somebody that we should be looking at - a mobile, bigger lad. I thought he had pace and he made good runs."
Market Value and Competition
Makama's rapid development at Carrow Road has seen his market value soar to an estimated sum of just under £7m. While current frontman Sam Smith has shown impressive hunger during early pre-season action, Morrell reckons Parkinson will inevitably seek extra firepower to mount a top-two push.
Securing high-profile Championship talent won't come easy or cheap. Wrexham face fierce competition at the top end of the division, particularly from newly-relegated Premier League sides West Ham, Wolves and Burnley - all backed by massive parachute payments and big budgets. Morrell warned that while Wrexham have cash to spend, they must get smart in the transfer market rather than attempting to out-bid top-flight dropouts.
He said: "Financially, I don't think we're going to be able to compete with them at the moment, so you've got to find the value. We've got to be realistic, but by reaching further, you're getting more value if you can find the right players."
New Sporting Director
To spearhead this global search for value, Wrexham have pulled off a major coup this week by reportedly snatching Newcastle United's long-serving head of recruitment, Steve Nickson, as their new sporting director. Nickson spent 15 years at St James' Park, playing a key role in bringing superstars like Bruno Guimarães, Joelinton and Sven Botman to Tyneside.
Beating off competition from West Ham and Birmingham to secure his services, Wrexham have brought Nickson in to widen their scouting net beyond the English football pyramid. However, casting a wider net brings its own challenges. Morrell said: "We've spoken about the 'no k***head test' Phil Parkinson has on players that are coming in, but it's very difficult to do that for somebody that's thousands of miles away. There's definitely a balance to be reached, but they'll do their due diligence."
Defensive Needs and Promotion Aim
Alongside attacking reinforcements, Morrell identified the defence - particularly right wing-back following Issa Kabore's return to Manchester City - as an area requiring immediate work after Wrexham leaked too many goals last term. Despite the challenges, the objective at the Racecourse Ground remains crystal clear for the 2026/27 campaign. Morrell said: "The expectation will be that promotion is the aim. From finishing seventh last year, they'll be looking to go one better and see if we can get in the play-offs or aim for top two."
