Wrexham reject shock bid for summer signing as Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac's side make transfer stance clear

Leicester City v Wrexham AFC - Sky Bet Championship

Wrexham have rejected a shock bid for summer signing Josh Windass as Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac's side make their transfer stance clear ahead of the January window. The 31-year-old became Wrexham's third signing in the summer transfer window after the Welsh club secured their third consecutive promotion to the Championship. The midfielder joined them as a free agent after leaving Sheffield Wednesday.

Windass' bright start to Wrexham journey

Windass left Sheffield Wednesday as a free agent after spending five and a half years at the club in the summer to sign for the newly-promoted Championship team. Wrexham went on a spending spree during the last window as they looked to make major changes in their squad before competing in the second-tier of English football.

Windass has enjoyed a fair amount of success at the Welsh club since the start of the 2025-26 campaign, scoring six goals and providing three assists in 21 matches across all competitions, including 19 in the Championship. He has been an influential figure in the Wrexham dressing room, given his age and experience.

Wrexham AFC v Watford - Sky Bet Championship

Rangers' proposed move rejected

Following his bright start at Wrexham, Scottish giants Rangers had reportedly eyed a move for the experienced attacking midfielder as they wanted him on loan in the January transfer window. Windass, who had earlier played for two seasons at the Scottish Premiership club between 2016 and 2018, was linked with a move back to his former club, but according to Record Sport, the Red Dragons have rejected the move as they do not intend to let their star summer signing leave. 

Windass's current deal expires at the end of the 2027-28 campaign, and Phil Parkinson intends to retain the player at least until then and get the best out of him. The report added that new Rangers boss Danny Rohl wanted to reunite with Windass at Ibrox this January after managing him at Sheffield Wednesday, but it looks unlikely that the transfer will materialise. 

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Rangers starting to turn things around under Rohl

After a nightmare start to their 2025-26 campaign, which led to Russell Martin's sacking in October, Rohl was brought in as a replacement to turn things around at Ibrox. The former Germany and Bayern Munich assistant coach has slightly improved things as Rangers have risen from eighth to fourth position in the league table and are now trailing second-placed Celtic by six points.

Ryan Reynolds Rob McElhenney Wrexham

Wrexham told to 'go big' in January window

Despite splashing out over £30 million ($40m) during the summer of 2025, Reynolds and Mac have been advised to 'go big' in the January transfer window to further bolster their squad. Football League pundit Don Goodman has told CasinoHawks: "This season is turning into a season of learning for Wrexham. That's the way that I would. Look at it. Learning for the football club at Championship level, learning for the owners, learning for the manager, the players and the fans, I think. I had them down as a team whose ambition should be to consolidate this season, despite the fact they spent a lot of money. It was a huge rebuild that needed to take place in terms of getting some Championship savvy and experienced players in the door. They've already had to be ruthless and identified players who have been on their incredible journey as probably not capable of making a mark in the Championship. I don't think too many people would argue with the ones that they've let go despite them being Wrexham legends forever. 

"They've had to blend the rest of them and, while they progressed through the leagues quite easily and probably more quickly than anybody could have imagined when Phil Parkinson took over in the National League, I always felt that this would be the season where their promotion run would end. The question was would it end in mid-table respectability or would they be in a relegation scrap? I don't think there's any danger of relegation. But what I do think is that there's an awful lot to be learned from what's already happened and from what will happen in the second half of the season."