Wrexham is set to break their transfer record with an exciting move for a top Ligue 1 player.
Wrexham are gearing up to break their transfer record in the last days of the window with one of the boldest moves seen in Championship history.
Last season, the Red Dragons just missed out on the Championship play-offs, finishing only two points behind Hull City, who went on to win the play-offs.
They’ve started the 2026/27 season with two 1-1 draws against Cardiff and Watford.
So far in this transfer window, Wrexham have spent about £16 million on three players: full-back Danny Imray from Crystal Palace, goalkeeper Anthony Patterson from Sunderland, and midfielder Ben Whiteman from Preston North End.
The deal for Patterson is thought to be at least £8 million, which would be the highest fee the club has ever paid under owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.
The club might not be finished though. Manager Phil Parkinson mentioned he had a “great chat with Rob and Ryan” before the recent 1-1 draw with Watford.
“There’s no guarantee any signings will come in,” he said. “The players we want are also wanted by other clubs here and around Europe. These are the kinds of players who can really make a difference.”
Their latest target fits that description perfectly.
Journalist Pete O’Rourke reports that Wrexham are planning a record-breaking offer for Pavel Sulc, a Czech international midfielder playing for Ligue 1 side Lyon.
Sulc, 25, scored 11 goals in France’s top league last season, making him Lyon’s top scorer alongside Corentin Tolisso.
Though he mainly plays as an attacking midfielder, Sulc can also play as a striker or a deeper role if needed.
He was linked with a move to Premier League club Leeds United earlier in the summer, but Leeds weren’t actively pursuing him.
After playing at the World Cup, Sulc missed most of Lyon’s pre-season with a knee injury. Lyon’s manager, Paulo Fonseca, recently said that Sulc might leave the club before the transfer deadline.
“There are options out there,” Fonseca said. “He had an excellent season last year, and we value him highly. I can’t say for sure if he’ll leave or not. His value is very high, and clubs across Europe are watching him closely.”
Lyon are still fighting to qualify for the Champions League this season, needing a win over Fenerbahce in their next match after a 1-1 draw in the first leg.
According to Foot Mercato, Lyon want at least €25 million (about £21.3 million) for Sulc, nearly three times Wrexham’s current transfer record.
That would have been an EFL record until recently, when West Ham paid £22 million to sign midfielder Arne Engels from Celtic.
West Ham’s big spending was made possible by selling key players and years of Premier League TV money. This shows how much top Championship clubs feel they need to spend to compete for promotion these days.