Ryan Reynolds can sign £10.5m star, ex-Tottenham ace and player with 92 caps as free agents

Wrexham have been dealt a major injury blow as the League One promotion race hots up.

The Red Dragons, owned by Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, lifted themselves to within three points of the automatic promotion places after beating Mansfield Town 2-1 on Sunday. The result saw Wrexham remain third in the table, but narrow the gap on second-placed Wycombe Wanderers to within three points after their rivals were held to a draw by Wigan Athletic.

However, the victory was marred by what appeared to be a significant injury to Andy Cannon during the first half. The midfielder was given oxygen after hurting his knee and had to be stretchered off following a lengthy delay in proceedings.

Speaking after the game, Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson said: "We've lost Andy and it looks like a bad injury. It looks like a knee injury but we don't know the extent of it yet." Cannon later shared a post on Instagram to thank supporters for their well wishes.

While the full severity of the injury has yet to be confirmed, it could force Parkinson to seek a short-term replacement. Despite the transfer window being closed, teams can still add to their squads by bringing in free agents.

It's a route the former Sunderland and Bolton manager used in October when he signed Matty James and Jon Dadi Bodvarsson to bolster his numbers. There is currently one free spot left in Wrexham's squad after the club announced an updated list of first team players in early February.

Here, Mirror Football looks at four free agent midfielders who Parkinson could be tempted to bring in with the backing of the club's A-list owners.

Jeff Hendrick

One midfielder who might pique Parkinson's interest is former Newcastle United man Jeff Hendrick. The 33-year-old has been without a club since leaving St James' Park last summer.

Hendrick spent most of his four years with the Magpies out on loan, including spells at Queens Park Rangers, Reading and Sheffield Wednesday in the Championship. Despite a difficult few years, it's been less than a decade since Burnley paid £10.5m to Derby County to acquire his services.

Hendrick's 147 Premier League appearances and 262 Championship outings make him an attractive possibility. He is also well acquainted with at least one current Wrexham player in former Republic of Ireland teammate James McClean.

Jake Livermore

Another high profile name who is currently unattached is former England star Jake Livermore. The 35-year-old was released by Watford in May 2024 and has been without a club ever since.

Livermore has seven international caps, along with almost 200 Premier League appearances and nearly 250 Championship outings on his impressive CV. The midfielder began his career at Tottenham, before spells with Hull City, West Brom and Watford.

Livermore played 32 times in all competitions for the Hornets last season, scoring three times before his release. Whether he fancies one more shot at glory remains to be seen, but Wrexham would be the ideal place to add a third promotion to his resume.

Joe Morrell

Wales international Joe Morrell was previously linked with a move to Wrexham last summer after his contract with Portsmouth came to an end. The 28-year-old was allowed to leave at the end of last season despite his role in helping Pompey win the League One title.

Morrell started his career at Bristol City, also spending time on loan with Cheltenham Town and Lincoln City during those early years, before moving to Luton Town in 2020. He later joined Portsmouth in August 2021, a club where he says he "found a home in football".

The end of Morrell's time at Portsmouth was marred by a knee injury, which could prove a barrier to joining Wrexham, but the player himself would appear keen on a switch to North Wales. "In the Football League, there's not many more exciting projects than Wrexham," he told the BBC in October last year.

Cheikhou Kouyate

Former Premier League man Cheikhou Kouyate might seem like an ambitious target, but is someone else who has been without a team since last summer. The 92-cap Senegal international came close to joining Leeds United in October after spending time at the Championship leaders' training ground over the international break.

However, as per Football Insider, Leeds reportedly pulled the plug on the deal after the 34-year-old failed a medical. The ex-Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace defensive midfielder could be a useful reinforcement for Parkinson in the push for a third successive promotion with Wrexham.

Kouyate's wage expectations could be costly, though, even by big spending Wrexham's standards. Also, whether a star who has never played outside the Premier League would be willing to drop to League One level is debatable.