"He is loved" - Wrexham star warned against Stoke City or Preston North End transfer | OneFootball

The defender is said to have caught the eye of the Championship duo after his impressive performances for the Red Dragons

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

While the likes of Paul Mullin, Jack Marriott and Ollie Palmer continue to grab the headlines for Wrexham upon their return to League One, it is the performances of full-back Ryan Barnett that have caught the eye of clubs higher up the football pyramid.

Mike McGrath of The Telegraph has reported that Championship duo Stoke City and Preston North End have been keeping tabs on the 25-year-old of late, as the Red Dragons continue to keep pace at the top of the third tier.

Having joined the Welsh outfit from Solihull Moors in February of last year, the full-back continues to go from strength to strength at The Racecourse, with his talents on the flanks earning himself plenty of admirers.

With that in mind, we spoke to Football League World’s Wrexham fan pundit Liam Grice about his thoughts on clubs sniffing around the ex-Shrewsbury Town man, with the January transfer window on the horizon.

Ryan Barnett hits the ground running after Wrexham League One promotion

Barnett’s relentless performances have made him an ever-dependable player for Phil Parkinson in the current campaign, with his effectiveness on the right-side of defence felt both in and out of possession.

With five assists to his name so far, the full-back has rightfully caught the eye of the Championship pair, due to his efficiency in creating chances for his teammates, as evidenced in the 4-1 defeat of Northampton Town earlier this month.

With his surging runs down the right side and pinpoint deliveries into the penalty area, the wide man played a part in all of his side’s goals that day, such is his danger when given the time and space to exploit going forward.

Grice though, still needs to be convinced that his side’s star can continue to produce the goods on a regular basis before being convinced of his credentials in a division above, with the small sample size of matches in the third tier seeing him unable to make a judgement as yet.

When quizzed on the recored interest in the defender, the Wrexham fan said: “Maybe I am being slightly biased, I probably am - but I think any Wrexham fan would say the same - but for me a move to Stoke or Preston in the Championship wouldn’t be the best career move for Barnett at this stage.

“Obviously it is a step-up in division and a step-up in quality, and he has played really well in League One so far, but this is his first season at this level.

“Don’t get me wrong, we all think he has been doing a brilliant job, but he needs to prove now that he can consistently perform at this level.”

Wrexham can provide Barnett platform to showcase his potential

Barnett’s performances have contributed towards a Wrexham side who have made the step up to the third tier with consummate ease so far, with just two defeats from their opening 12 league matches of the season.

A historic triple-promotion is a distinct possibility at this moment in time, with the Hollywood-backed club continuing their rise from being in the National League this time two years ago, to being League One promotion hopefuls.

With that in mind, Barnett will know sticking in North Wales will likely see the momentum with the Red Dragons continue, and if all goes to plan, he could well be playing Championship football with his current employers this time next year.

With their current financial status, Wrexham are not a side who need to cash in on their top talents, and Grice is confident that the standout defender should stay put for now, and help his side get over the line in the year to come.

He added: “Maybe from a selfish point of view, he is at a place he is loved, he knows how much the fans appreciate him, and I think that has got to stand for something.

“I think we can probably compete with the finances of Stoke and Preston as well because we are in a fortunate position, so I don’t think it is a necessarily massive career move, but obviously there is some jump in quality in going up to the Championship.”