Wrexham join battle with Oxford United, Stevenage, Carlisle and Bristol Rovers for 5-goal League One striker | OneFootball

With 54 goals scored in 27 League Two matches - the fourth highest tally so far this season - Wrexham aren't exactly short of goals to try and fire them up to the third tier of English football at the first time of asking.

However, the Red Dragons cannot stop being linked with new strikers, with League One sharp-shooters Jonson Clarke Harris, Stephen Humphrys and Aaron Collins of Peterborough United, Wigan Athletic and Bristol Rovers respectively all of interest at different stages of the January transfer window.

Phil Parkinson now seemingly has a different name on his radar now though, but Wrexham will have to fend off a whole host of clubs from the division above if they are going to land this particular target.

Wrexham join chase for Fleetwood striker Marriott

According to Football Insider, Jack Marriott - now at Fleetwood Town - is the latest attacking player that Wrexham are keen to add to the likes of Paul Mullin, Steven Fletcher and Ollie Palmer at the top end of the pitch at the Racecourse Ground.

The 29-year-old, who has been with the Cod Army since January 2023, has scored five League One goals in 24 appearances so far this season, but now he could be on the move in the final week of the transfer window.

There is plenty of interest in former Derby County and Peterborough forward Marriott though, with a plethora of League One sides keen to take him from Charlie Adam's struggling Lancashire outfit.

Football Insider claim that promotion chasing Stevenage and Oxford United are both keen on Marriott, with the latter having a summer transfer offer rejected in the region of £500,000 before giving up with their attempts.

More recently though in the last week, both Carlisle United and Bristol Rovers have expressed their interest in taking Marriott on loan for the remainder of the 2023-24 season, according to Alan Nixon via his Patreon account, and the Gas could end up trying to replace Aaron Collins with the Fleetwood man, with Bolton having a £600,000 bid rejected for the 26-year-old Welshman.

Fleetwood may have paid Peterborough the best part of £250,000 a year ago to sign Marriott, but just 12 months into his two-and-a-half year contract, he will be allowed to depart Highbury Stadium should he wish.

Alan Nixon reported earlier in January that Town were looking to get rid of the experienced striker due to his wages, which are among the highest in League One, and even though he is good for goals when he gets the services, Charlie Adam has a lot of other forwards at his disposal too.

The signing of Ronan Coughlan from Waterford this month has further added to Adam's options, and with Fleetwood struggling at the bottom of League One, they could do with a siege mentality throughout the squad.

Marriott hasn't done a lot wrong this season, but he has sat on the bench for two of Fleetwood's last three matches, and that suggests an exit could be in the works.

Should Wrexham win the battle for Marriott's services though, it would add to an embarrassment of riches in attack and you'd imagine he would guarantee goals at fourth tier level - it could be a real game-changer for Parkinson and co.