"A bit too much" - Wrexham issued warning over Reading FC transfer pursuit amid £5m claim | OneFootball

FLW's Wrexham fan pundit has his say on the links with Charlie Savage.

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...

Wrexham appear set for another busy summer in the transfer market as they prepare for their first season of second-tier football since 1982 next term.

The Red Dragons secured automatic promotion to the Championship after a stellar season in League One, but following an unprecedented three consecutive promotions, certain sections of their squad could use a revamp ahead of the next campaign.

The Welsh outfit have already been linked with the likes of Premier League veterans Jamie Vardy and Tom Cairney, but the latest player to be linked with a switch to the Racecourse Ground is someone who is far more youthful.

Charlie Savage has had an outstanding season for Reading in League One, and there is now talk that the 22-year-old could be heading to Wrexham this summer.

Wrexham told to make Charlie Savage move but £5m claim questioned

Savage’s performances this season have been so impressive that it is no surprise at all that there are once again reports linking him to a Championship move.

The midfielder has been largely excellent since joining Reading from Manchester United back in 2023, but last season saw him hit a new level entirely.

The Welshman struck seven goals and 13 assists in all competitions, a very healthy return for a player who has tended to operate in a box-to-box role for Noel Hunt’s side.

The Royals overcame their off-field issues to claim a very respectable seventh-placed finish, and Savage quickly established himself as one of the stars of what was the third tier’s second-youngest squad.

A Championship move was always likely to be on the cards after a season of consistently outstanding displays, and it looks as though Wrexham could have stolen a march on any other sides who may take an interest in Savage this summer.

Earlier this week, FLW’s Reading fan pundit, Johnny Hunt, suggested that Savage is worth in the region of £3 million to £5 million. With that in mind, we put that to our Wrexham pundit, Liam Grice, to find out whether he would be happy to see his club pay that amount for the youngster.

Liam said: “Charlie Savage is a player who obviously has links to Wrexham because of his dad being born here. But, also in his own right, he is a brilliant footballer who can dictate the tempo of a game, and that’s maybe what we’ve been lacking in our midfield.

“I think £5m would maybe be a bit too much for us to pay for him, but he is a good, young talent, and we do need to decrease the age of the squad a bit. If that’s what we’ve got to pay, then I wouldn’t mind it.

“However, I do think £3m would be a fairer price. He’s a player of real quality but also a lot of potential, and he could definitely make an impact on this Wrexham side, he’d probably go straight into the midfield as well if I’m being honest.”

With Reading’s ownership situation finally now resolved, they will surely be setting their sights on securing their own Championship return next season.

A player of Savage’s quality will be key to any hopes of a promotion push, which makes it highly likely that the Royals will hold out for a significant fee for their star man, with the consideration as well that new owner Rob Couhig has insisted that he will build a sustainable club.

The midfielder is under contract at the Madejski Stadium until 2027, so there is no desperate need for the Berkshire outfit to sell. When you then factor in that Manchester United are reportedly due to receive a large chunk of the transfer fee whenever Savage does move on, the possibility of Wrexham securing a cut-price deal for him seems extremely slim.

The Red Dragons certainly have the funds to facilitate a deal, even if they had to part with £5m. But there can be no doubt that that would be a sizeable fee for a player who has no prior experience of the Championship.

They had League One’s second-oldest squad last year and definitely must get younger as a side, but they must also be mindful that they don’t neglect second-tier experience in the process.

The trajectory that Wrexham are on, combined with the fact that it represents the perfect shop window to force his way into the Wales set up on a regular basis, means a move to the Racecourse would surely appeal to Savage.

However, with the likes of Sheffield United, Norwich and Stoke all reportedly interested back in January, there is sure to be plenty of competition for his signature again this summer.