Wrexham axe ex-England striker from Championship squad as £1.3m wages risk going to waste

Wrexham could be forking out a whopping £1.3million in wages to an ex-England star who didn't make the cut for their Championship squad. Jay Rodriguez, who joined the Red Dragons from Burnley on an 18-month contract in January, netted twice in 17 matches as Phil Parkinson's team clinched promotion from League One.

The seasoned 36-year-old forward has previously played in the Premier League for clubs like Southampton and West Bromwich Albion, and boasts a single England cap after playing against Chile in November 2013. However, a stress fracture in his ankle during pre-season saw him left out of Wrexham's 24-man squad submitted earlier this month.

As per Capology, Rodriguez is currently the third-highest earner at the Welsh club, pocketing a base salary of £25,000 per week. Injured players Danny Ward, Andy Cannon, and Ollie Rathbone were also omitted from the list, but it seems likely that Rathbone will secure the final squad place as he's tipped to regain fitness soon.

The former Rotherham midfielder was a crucial player for Wrexham last season, even bagging the club's player of the season award last term.

Parkinson said: ''We need Ollie back, he's a key player for us. He was instrumental for us last year. He's a player who has played in the Championship; first year did well, second one was a difficult one at Rotherham because they had a very weak squad.

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"But he's played at this level, and when he signed for us, he was determined to get back into the Championship. His energy and his quality, I can't wait to get Ollie back out with us."

With Rathbone poised to claim the final squad spot, it leaves Rodriguez facing a wait until at least January before any potential first-team involvement. Even then, there's no guarantee he'll feature in Parkinson's revised squad after Wrexham made 13 summer signings.

Hollywood owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac backed a staggering £33million spending spree during the transfer window, leaving Parkinson spoilt for choice in attack. Among their acquisitions was Wales striker Kieffer Moore, who has made an instant impact following his £2million move from Sheffield United in August.

The frontman has netted five times in seven outings across all competitions since his arrival. Should Rodriguez remain sidelined for the entire campaign, he could pocket an eye-watering £1.3million annual wage without touching the pitch.

Following their summer splurge, Wrexham have endured a difficult start to life in the second tier, after managing just four points from their opening five matches. But that was followed by last weekend's thrilling 3-2 win at Norwich City, which relieved some pressure on Parkinson amid whispers the club had discussed his position.

The rumours were swiftly quashed by non-executive director Shaun Harvey, who labelled them as "an absolute disgrace". Former Stoke City manager Tony Pulis has also thrown his support behind Parkinson, believing that Wrexham have the talent to avoid relegation this season.

In an interview with Coin Poker, he said: "Wrexham won't struggle, they've got enough. Phil Parkinson has done a fantastic job there. They certainly have enough to compete, though I'm not sure if they'll be in the top six this season.

"He's made some good signings. If they can get the momentum they've had year after year and bring it into this league again, it's an unbelievable and difficult ground to visit.

"Phil knows the league, having played in it himself, so he understands what's coming. He'll have it all planned out. It's just about momentum. If they can pick up results home and away and gain self-belief and confidence, that's one of the big things after promotion.

"Players will be wary of whether they're good enough. They'll be going into different, bigger grounds with a different atmosphere. It's about having that self-belief and confidence, and there's nothing better for that than winning games."

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