Thomas O’Connor eyeing Wrexham AFC exit – Leyton Orient, Bradford City & QPR should move ASAP | OneFootball

The Red Dragons defender is looking for a route out following the signing of Callum Doyle

Wrexham AFC defender Tom O’Connor is reportedly looking for a way out of his current club, having fallen out of favour at the Racecourse Ground.

That’s according to a report from journalist Pete O’Rourke, who noted that the 26-year-old finds himself with reduced access to minutes following the £8m signing of Callum Doyle from Manchester City.

O’Connor has been with the Red Dragons since their days in the National League, but now may find himself surplus to requirements after the big-money acquisition of Doyle.

Here, Football League World take a look at three clubs who should be alert to the former Republic of Ireland youth international’s availability…

3 Leyton Orient

Although O’Connor currently finds himself with a Championship side, his career has been spread predominantly from League One to the National League.

Of those divisions, he has spent the most time in the third tier, with 111 League One appearances under his belt, including 31 last term in Wrexham’s promotion season.

Orient only narrowly missed out on promotion in the last campaign, finishing just inside the play-off places and being edged out by a single goal against Charlton Athletic in the final.

Richie Wellens’ side do already have four centre-backs at their disposal, but only one out-and-out left-back in loanee Tayo Adaramola.

With O’Connor seemingly expressing a desire to leave, he may be available for a knockdown price, and his versatility means he could provide cover for Adaramola at left-back, as well as in the centre of the defence and even in midfield.

That, along with his promotion-winning knowhow and experience in the division, could make O’Connor a shrewd investment for Orient, who have already leaked nine goals in the league and could use some back-up.

Bradford City are shaping up to be one of the shock packages in the third tier following a promising start that has them sat in fourth place in the league.

Graham Alexander's three-at-the-back system is working wonders for the Bantams following their long-awaited promotion to League One, but an experienced operator like Alexander will know there's a long season ahead.

Four of his current centre-back options are over the age of 30, and the youngest with any senior experience is 27-year-old Ciaran Kelly, currently working his way back from injury.

O'Connor could add a bit more youth to that balance, without forgoing experience at the level, and could also provide cover for 30-year-old Ibou Touray out on the left, as well as in midfield when required.

The Irishman has experience of getting promoted from this division, has played in a back three system under Phil Parkinson and can fill in a number of positions in that formation – if available on the cheap, O'Connor could be a shrewd investment to consolidate Bradford's promising start.

It has been a worrying start to the season for QPR, who find themselves languishing near the bottom of the Championship table, with fears compounded by their recent 7-1 loss to Coventry City.

Rangers have invested heavily this summer in the likes of Koki Saito, Richard Kone, Karamoko Dembele and potentially costly “free” deals for the likes of Kwame Poku and Isaac Hayden, when wages are taken into account.

Fans will want to see the club taking action after such a heavy defeat, and O’Connor may offer a reasonable route to doing so, should he want a shot at staying in the second tier.

Julien Stephan sets up with a left-back, two centre-backs and two holding midfielders, so there are plenty of roles in his system that O’Connor is experienced in playing in.

Having been an important part of Wrexham’s promotion season last term, O’Connor would surely have got an opportunity in the Championship under normal circumstances, but Wrexham’s transfer business this term are no ordinary circumstances.

A club like QPR, currently down on their luck and likely looking for cheap ways to refresh things before the end of the window, could be O’Connor’s best route to proving he is capable in the Championship, and at 26, as a defensively minded player, he still has plenty of room to grow and improve.