Wrexham AFC report may have caught eye of West Brom player struggling for minutes | OneFootball

Wrexham's January search for a new striker could see Devante Cole heavily linked.

Wrexham's continual rise up the divisions could soon threaten the Championship, with the Red Dragons flying high in League One.

Saturday's 3-0 victory over Exeter City at the Racecourse edged them into those promotion spots, with bitter rivals Shrewsbury Town lending an unexpected favour by toppling the riches of Birmingham City.

These results will come as a relief to Phil Parkinson, who will know his side have struggled at times over the past month. Prior to the win over the Grecians, they had managed just one league win in four matches, with disappointing defeats in both the EFL Trophy and FA Cup compounding a difficult period.

However, they can now put these disappointments behind them with the league still well set for a tilt at promotion. For this to be achievable, they may need some new recruits in January and the latest reports seem to link them to a move for a 'Championship' striker.

Wrexham chasing Championship striker

Wrexham's brilliant form this season has largely been down to a solid defence. Across their 16 games, Parkinson's side have conceded just 11 goals, with nine clean sheets during that period.

Meanwhile, in attack, they have netted 25 goals, with contributions coming from a variety of players. While having a wealth of finishers across the pitch is far from a concern, greater output is needed from the Red Dragons' strikers.

Since the prolific Jack Marriott sustained an injury in training, Wrexham's frontline have managed just two goals in six games.

The most notable decline has been from Paul Mullin, who, in the three seasons prior to their League One campaign, accounted for nearly a third of the team's 296 goals. So far, he has managed just one league goal and January could see Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney enter their pockets to sign a new player from the tier above.

According to Alan Nixon, Parkinson's side are going to chase a striker with goalscoring experience in the Championship. Having brought in new investors, they will be happy to offer a significant transfer fee and wages that will likely match or better whatever the player they sign currently has.

This could see a shortlist with multiple individuals on, but targeting Devante Cole from West Bromwich Albion would be a smart move by the Welsh club.

Devante Cole would be an ideal addition

Cole may not have found his feet in the Championship, but it should prove simple enough to prize him out of the Hawthorns.

The 29-year-old has endured a difficult time at the Baggies since making the move from Barnsley in the summer on a free transfer.

Josh Maja's excellent form has seen him limited to the odd appearance off the bench, with the attacker racking up a meagre 52 minutes of Championship football.

This could see him targeting a move away from West Brom, especially with the added pressure of Daryl Dike returning to action.

Wrexham should capitalise on these factors and present Cole with either a permanent or temporary deal at the Racecourse. His League One record speaks for itself, with impressive tallies of 15 and 18 goals in his last two seasons in the third tier. To further underline his quality, his underlying statistics highlight his clinical edge; over the past two years, he has outperformed his expected goals (xG) of 29.7 by netting 33 times.

This points to a striker who could lead them to promotion, and with the Baggies only signing him on a free, they would surely be willing to part ways for a suitable fee.

While he will take time to get up to speed, this is a risk Wrexham should take, with Cole a proven goalscorer in League One.