Man Utd legend joins Wrexham transfer wishlist as Jamie Vardy plan hits hurdle

Manchester United defender Jonny Evans is said to be a target for Wrexham after their promotion to the Championship as he approaches the end of his contract at Old Trafford

Wrexham are targeting a move for Manchester United defender Jonny Evans as they begin preparations for their summer business after earning promotion to the Championship. The Welsh outfit are the first team in English history to claim three straight promotions and will now have sights on the Premier League.

The Dragons - owned by Hollywood actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney - have been tipped to embark on a spending spree and bring some high-profile names to the Racecourse Ground.

Jamie Vardy has been linked with the club after news he will leave Leicester this summer, but there have been doubts over the move amid claims the striker is keen to stay in the Premier League.

According to the Sun, Evans is a player on Wrexham's wishlist as they look to bring in the quality they need to stay in the Championship next term - and possibly even pull off yet another promotion to the top flight.

Evans made a surprise return to Old Trafford in 2023, having left the club in 2014, and was initially only a short-term signing for pre-season. But after impressing over the summer he was handed a one-year deal and played 23 times in the 2023-24 campaign.

He signed another extension in the summer of 2024 and played 12 times in all competitions this season before picking up muscle injury that ruled him out for four months. The 37-year-old's deal will expire again in June and he is not expected to be offered another extension.

The report claims that in addition to Evans and Vardy, Wrexham could also look at Newcastle forward Callum Wilson, Everton defender Michael Keane or even Manchester City playmaker Kevin de Bruyne - who is set to become a free agent.

But Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson warned that the club have a "no superstars, no egos" policy, having carefully crafted a close-kit squad that has enjoyed so much success.

"We haven’t really spoken about anything," Parkinson said. "We’ve always got our eye on players who are free transfers and are going to be available.

"I think it’s interesting because the jump in salaries is incredible, mind-blowing. Even coming up to this level, the jump to get players of Championship quality is expensive.

"But obviously the next level, I don’t think people outside football quite realise. They think players in League One must be multi-millionaires, but the drop-off from what people read in the press about Premier League players is huge.

"That is a challenge but what we’ve always tried to do is make sure the culture in the club is right. No superstars, no egos in the dressing room, and we’ve got to try to get that balance right again, to make sure the right people come into the building."