Wrexham are eyeing a move for a midfielder who was once compared to Iniesta and Xavi, as his contract nears its end and his current club finds itself in financial turmoil
Wrexham have been linked with a move for a midfielder who was once likened to Barcelona legends Andres Iniesta and Xavi. Barry Bannan is a key player for Sheffield Wednesday and has made 447 appearance since joining the club in 2015.
However, the Owls are currently experiencing problems off the pitch with several team members still not paid their wages for May. The uncertainty, which has seen the club placed under a transfer embargo, has sparked fears that stars such as Bannan could be tempted to leave.
The 35-year-old’s current contract at Hillsborough is due to expire at the end of this month, and Wrexham are now monitoring the club captain’s situation, according to The Irish Sun. While a report in the Yorkshire Post indicates that Bannan is keen to stay put, the Red Dragons are said to be willing to pay him a “top salary”.
Wrexham, co-owned by Hollywood duo Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, are aiming to improve their squad this season after securing promotion to the Championship in April. The capture of Bannan from one of their second tier rivals would represent a significant coup after he received high praise in the early stages of his career from former Liverpool boss Gerard Houllier.
The Frenchman was managing Aston Villa at the time, where the playmaker emerged through the club’s academy after initially starting his journey with Celtic. Houllier, who died in December 2020 at the age of 73, only spent nine months in charge of Villa after taking over in 2010.
But he was known to a big fan of Bannan, who became more involved in the first team under his stewardship. As per Birmingham Live, Houllier backed him to become a big Premier League star after dismissing concerns over his slight 5ft 7in stature.
“The Premier League has got more physical but it is not about a matter of size,” said Houllier. “Obviously you need size in some positions but it’s also a matter of commitment and physical commitment. Barry is competitive. It’s a matter of getting into it. He has that.
Asked whether he felt Bannan could cut it in the top flight, Houllier said: “Yes, definitely. I had players at other clubs who were the same size and had wonderful careers. The top level is about skill, intelligence and desire.
“He is an intelligent player, he can read the game well and adapt well. I don’t think Xavi and Iniesta, who are outstanding players, are of huge size. They are intelligent, they have the skill, they have the desire – young Barry has all of that.”
Bannan made 82 appearances for Villa in total between 2008 and 2013, before moving to Crystal Palace. He spent two years with Palace but found regular appearances hard to come by, later joining Wednesday in August 2015.
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He is a popular figure at Hillsborough and has also earned 27 caps for the Scotland national team during his career. Bannan is one of several players Wrexham are reported to have shown an interest in after gaining promotion from League One, including the likes of Leicester striker Jamie Vardy and Fulham captain Tom Cairney.
Manager Phil Parkinson is working to strengthen his squad in the summer transfer window, but insists he is not in any rush to make new additions.
“We are getting closer with one or two things but it is the time of the close season,” he told The Leader newspaper. “[During] these weeks in June, a lot of players are on holiday and a lot of managers are away.
“Obviously early June is still very early in the transfer window but a lot of work is going on as always behind the scenes to try and build a competitive squad.”
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