Wrexham could axe seven players if they're promoted as Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney face tough calls

The EFL League One promotion battle is finally settling down and it's the two star-studded big spenders who are set to claim their places in the Championship next season.

Wrexham are 11 points behind runaway leaders Birmingham City, who also have two games in hand, but have pulled away from the chasing pack and sit six points ahead of Wycombe Wanderers in third.

With an automatic promotion place increasingly likely, Wrexham owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney face some brutal decisions.

A historic third consecutive promotion would put additional strain on their resources. The Hollywood duo have taken steps to future-proof their ownership and enable continued progress up the leagues.

It would stretch Phil Parkinson's playing staff too, and no fewer than seven Wrexham stars could be heading for the exit door at the Racecourse Ground in the summer transfer window.

With Reynolds and McElhenney powering the juggernaut and Parkinson at the wheel, Wrexham were promoted from the National League to League One in two seasons and have taken third-tier football in their stride.

Paul Mullin is expected to leave the club in the summer. He joined Wrexham in the National League in 2021 despite a fearsome reputation as an EFL goal scorer and shot to fame as one of the key players in the spotlight of the Welcome To Wrexham documentary series.

But Mullin's playing time has been limited this season due to the additions of Jack Marriott, Steven Fletcher, Sam Smith and Jay Rodriguez over the last couple of years. He's contracted until the summer of 2027 but the inevitable speculation about his future is gathering pace.

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There's no doubt that Wrexham will dip into their deep pockets again when the transfer window opens and that means the club's clutch of out-of-contract players might well be allowed to leave en masse.

38-year-old goalkeeper Mark Howard has also been featured in the Welcome To Wrexham as Parkinson hunted for a permanent fix in his position. His contract expires this year along with that of fellow stoppers Brad Foster and Liam Hall.

29-year-old defender Eoghan O'Connell is also out of contract at the end of the season after two years at the club. Former Manchester City youth Josh Adam, yet to make a league appearance for Wrexham, is also likely to depart.

Former Premier League striker Fletcher is perhaps the player Wrexham would most like to retain. The Scot has scored eight League One goals since signing a year-long contract extension last summer.

At 38, the decision over his future is not an easy one and must balance his pedigree against his ability to step back into Championship football at the end of his career.

Wrexham's promotion surge continues with a visit to Wigan Athletic on Saturday.