Wrexham agree £6.5 million fee with rivals for star player just a day after first league win

Wrexham have made their move for Coventry City's captain with a view to confirming his signing on transfer deadline day.

The Red Dragons have been bullish in the transfer market since securing a historic third consecutive promotion, completing their journey from the National League to the Championship under the leadership of Hollywood duo Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.

Manager Phil Parkinson has had his squad strengthened with new signings including Nathan Broadhead, Callum Doyle and Lewis O'Brien, all signed for reported fees above £3 million.

While Broadhead will remain Wrexham's record signing unless they go even bigger before Monday's deadline, they're ready to fork out again to bring in midfielder Ben Sheaf from Coventry.

Sky Sports correspondent Rob Dorsett reports that Wrexham and the Sky Blues have agreed a fee of £6.5 million for Sheaf, and that the Coventry captain will undergo a medical on Monday.

Sheaf is a popular player at the Coventry Building Society Arena, where he played a big part in their resurgence under Mark Robins since joining from Arsenal in 2021.

The 27-year-old, who never played a Premier League game for the Gunners and instead made his name on loan with Stevenage, Doncaster Rovers and Coventry, has been less involved under Frank Lampard due to back-to-back injury problems during the 2024-25 season.

Wrexham are digging deep to seal the transfer despite Sheaf now being in the final year of his contract in the West Midlands.

Sheaf has played just seven minutes in the Championship this season, coming off the bench late in Coventry's opening day draw with Hull City.

Wrexham owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney (Image: Getty)

Lampard left him out of the Sky Blues matchday squads for wins against Derby County and Queens Park Rangers, while he was an unused substitute at Oxford United on Saturday.

Wrexham respond to a tricky start

Coventry have made a positive start to the season but Wrexham have unsurprisingly taken their time to find their feet.

Parkinson's team lost their first two Championship fixtures against Southampton and West Bromwich Albion either side of a penalty shoot-out win over Hull in the first round of the Carabao Cup.

After drawing with crisis-riddled Sheffield Wednesday, the Red Dragons saw off Preston North End in the second round and followed it up on Saturday with a tremendous 2-0 win away in the league at Millwall.