The support provided by Rob Mac and Ryan Reynolds to Phil Parkinson during his five years as Wrexham manager has been unequivocal.Even on rare down days, such as the one that brought a 5-0 thrashing by Stockport County not long after returning to the EFL in 2023 after a 15-year non-League exile, the north Wales club’s celebrity co-owners have been quick to show solidarity; Mac texted Parkinson within minutes of the final whistle at Edgeley Park to say, “Phil, we’re right behind you, we’re with you”.It is therefore no surprise that the United States-based pair should make a beeline for Parkinson’s office during their first visit of this season to The Racecourse Ground at a time when the 58-year-old was feeling frustrated at a lack of progress in the summer transfer window.“What can we do to help?” was the gist of their contribution to an impromptu 10-minute catch-up a couple of hours before the 1-1 draw with Watford on August 22. Chief executive Michael Williamson and director Shaun Harvey were also present as Parkinson explained the pressing need to add to the three signings made by that point if Wrexham were to truly prosper in the new Championship campaign.Ten days later, the fruits of that meeting are clear to see. Parkinson, thanks to the continued financial backing of Wrexham’s owners, has his desired refresh.First came wing-backs Issa Kabore and Jacques Ekomie, from Manchester City and French top-flight side Angers respectively for a combined £9million, followed by a double deadline-day signing as Burnley defender Joe Worrall and Sheffield United attacking midfielder Callum O’Hare arrived.Kabore has returned on a permanent deal after spending last season with Wrexham on loan (Harriet Massey/Getty Images)With Danny Imray, Ben Whiteman and Anthony Patterson having already signed before the season got under way, that late flurry of activity took Wrexham’s spending in the summer window to around £36million — a new club record.Add that to the £38million transfer investment across the 2025-26 campaign’s two windows and it’s a significant outlay, even in a division where eyebrows have been raised at some of the fees paid this summer by the likes of Middlesbrough, Southampton, Burnley, Stoke City, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Swansea City and West Ham United.“This has been a hard window,” admits Steve Parkin, Wrexham’s assistant manager. “The bar is set by the Premier League. We’ve all seen the amount of transfers that go through and the amount of money they’ve gone through at is quite frightening, quite alarming.“There is a bounce-down effect into the Championship. While there are some outstanding footballers in the Championship, I think every manager in the Championship might have raised their eyebrows at some of the prices knocking about. It is difficult, with some of the figures mind-blowing.”As the dust settled on Wrexham’s first season in the second tier for 43 years last time out, few would have begrudged the hierarchy some down-time. Especially Parkinson, the manager who had just piloted an initially unfancied team to within one victory of the Championship’s promotion play-offs.This being football, though, the moment the door to one season closes, another opens for the following campaign.So as the players jetted off on well-deserved holidays and the Southampton/Middlesbrough Spygate saga unfolded to add yet another ‘What if?’ element to Wrexham’s brush with a top-six finish, the focus was already turning to 2026-27.What areas needed strengthening? Who was available in those positions? And what implications, if any, would the latest incarnation of football’s financial fair play regulations have on Wrexham’s plans?One major decision had already been taken long before their season ended on May 2 with a 2-2 draw at home to Middlesbrough. Namely, the appointment of a sporting director to oversee all areas of recruitment.It was a bold move, but one made necessary by Wrexham’s rapid rise through the leagues since promotion to League Two in 2023.Scouring the market to get ahead in the fifth-tier National League, or even the lower divisions of the EFL, is one thing. Looking to do the same in a division featuring a host of clubs who have recently been battling the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United in the Premier League is another matter entirely.Loans and the overseas market, two areas Wrexham had barely dipped their toe in during those back-to-back-to-back promotions, can be key. As is knowing which agents outside the UK can be trusted in a market where there is value to be found but also a very real danger of buying clubs being played off against each other.After an exhaustive search that included input from Parkinson, Wrexham settled on Steve Nickson, head of recruitment at Premier League side Newcastle United.New sporting director Nickson was unable to begin work before the close of the summer transfer window (Serena Taylor/Getty Images)Not only did Nickson boast 15 years’ experience at St James’ Park, to go with another 10 at Blackburn Rovers when in charge of youth recruitment, but his renowned eye for a player meant he’d played a big role in Newcastle landing the likes of Joelinton, Ayoze Perez and Sven Botman.