Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have some big decisions to make in the transfer market this summer following Wrexham’s promotion from League One to the Championship
Wrexham could be set to allow star striker Paul Mullin to leave for free this summer in a shock move. The 30-year-old has been a key part of the Welsh club’s rise up the divisions after scoring 110 goals since joining in July 2021.
However, he found appearances hard to come by this season, making only nine starts in League One and scoring just three goals after undergoing back surgery last summer. Mullin was largely frozen out of the squad during the second half of the campaign, despite being a favourite of Wrexham’s Hollywood owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.
It came after manager Phil Parkinson bolstered his attacking options by signing strikers Sam Smith and Jay Rodriguez during the January transfer window. Wrexham recently secured promotion to the Championship, and it’s now been suggested they could be prepared to let Mullin go.
According to ReluctantNicko via Patreon, the club is even considering waiving a transfer fee due to his high wages, with Wigan Athletic said to be keen on securing his services. Mullin is currently under contract at the Racecourse Ground until the summer of 2027, but parting company for free could help smooth his departure.
The Liverpudlian’s absence from the teamsheet over the last few months led to speculation over a falling out between the Wrexham talisman and his manager. But the player himself later branded the claims as “nonsense” after responding to a post by a fan on social media.
Parkinson was quizzed about Mullin’s future earlier this month, along with that of his striker partner Ollie Palmer, who has also struggled for minutes. The ex-Bolton and Sunderland boss indicated that both men remain part of his plans.
He told BBC Sport Wales: “First of all, everyone’s made a contribution. What level that has been doesn’t matter because everybody’s been together and contributed.
“Of course, there’s always players who would have liked to have played more. Equally, contributions can come in many forms, so I’m delighted with everybody as a group.
“Mulls and Ollie will always be legends at this club for what they’ve done. They’re under contract next year and they’ll be back in pre-season ready to go again.”
Meanwhile, more details have emerged regarding the severity of the injury Mullin was treated for last summer. In scenes aired as part of the new series of the Welcome to Wrexham documentary, he reveals how back problems nearly led to him losing feeling in his left leg.
“For the last three years, I’ve always had this issue with my back,” said Mullin. “It’s a herniated disc, or slipped disc, and the cartilage was basically pressing on the nerve, so there were constant shooting pains down my legs.
“I could sprint but it always hurt. I sort of found a way to get on with it an just play with the pain. I was coping with it but then, going into the summer, it was hurting more than usual.”
Watch the new season of Welcome to Wrexham on Disney+
Welcome to Wrexham is back on Disney+ for a fourth season. Fans can watch the series with a £4.99 monthly plan, or get 12 months for the price of 10 by paying for a year upfront.
“I got it scanned during the end of May and the surgeon told me it had doubled in size and I was at risk of losing all feeling in my left leg if I carried on.”
Wrexham have already said goodbye to several players as Parkinson looks to strengthen his team. Veteran striker Steven Fletcher was among those let go last week as the club looks to compete at the next level.
The Hollywood-owned outfit have also been linked with a number of high profile signings, including Fulham captain Tom Cairney and Leicester striker Jamie Vardy. The club has separately confirmed it will play three friendly matches in Australia and New Zealand in July as part of its preparations for next season.
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