Wrexham AFC: Leeds United's Welsh international should be snapped up before League One rival acts | OneFootball

Wrexham could target Charlie Crew in the January window.

Wrexham AFC's start to their first season back in League One has been impressive, with the Red Dragons currently sitting in third place, just four points behind league leaders Wycombe Wanderers.

However, Phil Parkinson will feel he has cause for concern as they have only managed one win in their last four. Last week's defeat to Stockport County was particularly damning as they struggled to create many chances against the Hatters.

That result also meant they have now lost more than they have won away from home, a factor that the Wrexham head coach will certainly have to address if they want to win promotion.

Despite these minor concerns, the Red Dragons have much to celebrate. Their defence has been stellar, conceding just 11 goals in 15 games, while wing-backs James McClean and Ryan Barnett have been terrorising opposition backlines.

This will give hope that a third successive promotion is on the cards, and to help solidify this claim, making some key signings in January could be pivotal.

Wrexham should target Leeds starlet

Many will argue that Wrexham are already well-set for a push at promotion, but adding some extra quality to the squad can't hurt.

While the second-striker role alongside Ollie Palmer is seen as the main issue, they also have a problem with who plays in that third central midfield role. Most game weeks have seen Andy Cannon next to Elliot Lee and George Dobson, but the former hasn't shown the same level as his two compatriots.

For this reason, providing him with support would be a strong idea and Leeds have a young talent who is in desperate need of gametime.

The man who could help fill this role is Charlie Crew. The 18-year-old signed for the Whites back in 2022 from Cardiff City and is highly regarded as one of the brightest talents to emerge from their academy in a long time.

Speaking at the EFL awards last season, former Leeds stars Archie Gray and Crysencio Summerville both said they'd been impressed by what they'd seen from the Welsh youngster.

Seen as a natural replacement for Gray, Crew was lucky enough to make his senior Wales debut earlier this year when he came on against Gibraltar in June.

To this point, he has only received four minutes of Championship action and with Ilia Gruev and Ethan Ampadu set to return early next year, it's unlikely he will see many first-team minutes. Therefore, a temporary move away makes sense and Wrexham would be an ideal venue to hone his trade.

Crew could give Parkinson a headache

While Crew is short of time in men's football, the praise he has received from those who have played with him suggests he is destined to be a star.

A naturally more defensive-minded midfielder, he could continue to aid Wrexham's strong backline while also adding an extra dimension in attack.

In addition, if injuries or suspensions should occur to someone like Dobson, he can quickly fill in that role, having played it throughout his academy career.

More likely, though, he would slot into the right-sided central midfield role, as neither Cannon nor Ollie Rathbone have yet made it their own.