Wrexham AFC should push to sign Ryan Hardie and Nathan Lowe as soon as next week | OneFootball

We looked at two players that should be on Wrexham's radar at the start of the January transfer window.

It has been an outstanding start to life in League One for Wrexham but they are facing an important January transfer window.

Wrexham have adapted seamlessly to the third tier after their promotion from League Two last season and they are currently aiming for what would be a remarkable third consecutive promotion.

The Red Dragons face strong competition for an automatic promotion place from the likes of Wycombe Wanderers, Birmingham City, and Huddersfield Town, and with that in mind, January could be the perfect opportunity for manager Phil Parkinson to bolster his squad ahead of the second half of the season.

After bringing in eight players during the summer transfer window, Parkinson has signed four free agents in recent months - Josh Adam, Matty James, Jon Dadi Bodvarsson, and Brad Foster - showing that he is still keen to strengthen further, and he could be provided with backing by owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney in the market this month.

With the January window now open for business, we looked at two players that Wrexham should push to sign as soon as possible.

Ryan Hardie

With one of the best defensive records in League One and a strong midfield, it seems likely that much of Wrexham's focus in January will be on improving their forward line.

Goals have not been a problem for the Welsh outfit this season and Parkinson will be delighted to see players from across the team getting on the scoresheet but he may be concerned by the lack of output from his strikers.

Jack Marriott looked as though he could be the man to fire the Red Dragons to promotion after he scored five goals in his first 12 appearances this season but he has been sidelined since October after suffering a broken leg in training, and the likes of Paul Mullin, Steven Fletcher and Ollie Palmer have all failed to step up in his absence.

As FLW exclusively revealed earlier this week, Wrexham and promotion rivals Huddersfield are interested in Plymouth Argyle striker Ryan Hardie, with both clubs willing to meet the £2 million buyout clause in his contract at Home Park.

Hardie has found it tough in front of goal for the Championship strugglers this season, but he scored 13 goals in 45 games last season to help keep the Pilgrims in the division, and he has a prolific record at League One level.

In addition to his goalscoring prowess in the third tier, the 27-year-old also won the title with Argyle in the 2022-23 season, and that promotion experience could make him an incredibly useful signing for the Red Dragons.

Nathan Lowe

If Wrexham are unable to secure a deal for Hardie, they could turn their attention to Stoke City striker Nathan Lowe, who is currently on loan at Walsall.

Lowe joined the Saddlers on loan in the summer, and he has made an outstanding impact at the Poundland Bescot Stadium, helping Mat Sadler's side establish what looks like an increasingly unassailable lead at the top of League Two.

The 19-year-old is currently among the top scorers in the fourth tier but he is facing an uncertain future amid reports that Stoke are weighing up whether to recall him this month.

There has recently been a change of management at the bet365 Stadium with Mark Robins replacing Narcis Pelach, and the former Coventry boss may be keen to have Lowe at his disposal in the second half of the season, but there is also a chance that he could be loaned out to a higher division.

As per an FLW exclusive this week, Huddersfield have shown an interest in signing Lowe in January following his impressive form at Walsall but they are unlikely to be the only League One club keen on the striker, and the Red Dragons should certainly consider joining the race for his signature.

It's understood that the Stoke loanee has rejected the chance to join the Terriers in favour of staying at Walsall but perhaps the Wrexham project would be more tempting.