Wrexham are interested in making a move for Leyton Orient‘s Dom Ballard as the Red Dragons plan their summer business.
The O’s forward triumphed in the League One Golden Boot race, finishing on 23 goals across the campaign, including a final-day strike against Burton Albion which helped secure the Brisbane Road outfit’s status in the third tier.
Red Dragons Follow Familiar Path
Now, with the EFL season over, clubs are now turning their attention to their summer wishlists, and according to Darren Witcoop via his social media page, Wrexham are weighing up a move for Dom Ballard after a stellar debut season at Orient.
Moving across from Southampton in September, the former Blackpool and Reading man was a bright spot in an otherwise dour season for Richie Wellens’ side, and was one of a handful of figures excluded from the manager’s tirades over the club’s performance.
Phil Parkinson’s side know their status as a Championship club next season after narrowly missing out on the playoffs due to their failure to beat Middlesbrough at home on the final day, coupled with a Hull City victory.
The Red Dragons have consistently recruited League One forwards since their ascent to the second tier, having signed Reading’s Sam Smith and most recently Davis Keillor-Dunn in the winter window from Barnsley.
Witcoop reports that Wrexham will plan to sign around 3-4 players across the window, with Portsmouth‘s Terry Devlin also tipped with a move alongside Ballard, but the Welsh club will face competition from elsewhere for the latter’s signature.
Ballard Should Remain Wary
A move for Dom Ballard should have been expected in the summer, with a poor Leyton Orient season combined with an impressive individual campaign, meaning that offers were likely to be fielded for the 21-year-old.
However, a move to Wrexham could be a terrible move for the former Southampton man considering what has happened to many of the strikers recruited over the past couple of seasons.
Davis Keillor-Dunn is probably the best example of those problems, having been a long-term target finally recruited in the final hours of the transfer window, but has only managed to play six games since returning to the Racecourse Ground.
20-year-old Bailey Cadamarteri has also faced similar issues having joined at the same time as Keillor-Dunn, playing just three times since his February move from Sheffield Wednesday.
With a highly competitive dressing room for places up front, Dom Ballard should think twice before committing to a move to Wrexham if game time is a major factor in his decision-making.
