Wrexham Director Pours Cold Water on £19 Million Transfer Speculation
Wrexham director Humphrey Ker has firmly dismissed widespread reports that the Championship club has tabled a staggering £19 million bid for Angers striker Sidiki Cherif. The speculation, which emerged earlier this week, suggested the Red Dragons were preparing to smash their existing transfer record to secure the 19-year-old French forward.
Record-Breaking Claims Debunked
Speaking during an interview with talkSPORT, Ker acknowledged the excitement generated by the rumours but clarified the club's position. "To the best of my knowledge, it's a lot of exciting speculation," he stated. "We're looking at lots of different players at the moment, but to say that we've launched a £19 million bid, I'm not sure that's a hundred per cent correct."
Had the transfer materialised, it would have represented a significant financial milestone for Wrexham. The proposed fee would have comfortably exceeded their current record signing – the £10 million paid for Wales international Nathan Broadhead last summer. Furthermore, it would have surpassed the Championship's highest ever transfer outlay of £17.3 million, set by Ipswich Town for Norwegian winger Sindre Walle Egeli.
Agent Tactics and 'Stalking Horse' Allegations
Ker went beyond simply denying the specific Cherif link, offering a broader insight into the challenges Wrexham faces in the transfer market. He suggested that the club's high profile is sometimes exploited by agents to drive up their clients' market value during negotiations with other teams.
"One thing we've definitely noticed is that we get used at times as a sort of stalking horse for other contract negotiations and for transfers," Ker revealed. "I'm not saying that's what's happening in this situation, but it has happened in the past that when people are looking to get better deals for their players, they say Wrexham are in for them."
He elaborated on this tactic, explaining that agents might claim Wrexham are prepared to pay "silly money" for a player, prompting rival clubs to react more urgently or increase their own offers, even when the Welsh club's interest is not genuine.
Cherif's Profile and Wrexham's Championship Ambitions
The player at the centre of the rumours, Sidiki Cherif, has indeed attracted attention this season. The teenage striker has scored four goals in 18 Ligue 1 appearances for Angers, establishing himself as one of the French top flight's promising young talents. He is also understood to be on the radar of Premier League side Crystal Palace.
Wrexham, currently sitting ninth in the Championship table, remain active in the January window as they look to strengthen their squad. The club is just two points adrift of the play-off positions, and bolstering the attacking line is seen as a potential route to maintaining their promotion push.
Adapting to Championship Realities
Ker also addressed the broader context of Wrexham's recruitment strategy following their rapid rise through the football pyramid. He admitted that operating in the Championship presents new financial challenges compared to their previous divisions.
"Now we're in the Championship, we're no longer the big fish in a smaller pond," he noted. "You're in a division where you've got Premier League teams with parachute payments and things like that. It's been challenging in the past, but now I think we're getting into a situation where we are perhaps a little bit more on a par."
Despite the public dismissal of the Cherif story, Ker confirmed that the club's transfer committee, on which he sits, continues to pursue several targets. The director's comments highlight a cautious and strategic approach to the market, wary of inflated prices and opportunistic agent behaviour, as Wrexham seeks to build a squad capable of challenging for a place in the Premier League.
