Wrexham are set to offer Fulham’s Tom Cairney an eye-watering sum of money to join the club this summer, and EFL Analysis can exclusively reveal where the midfielder stands.
Wrexham returned to the second tier of English football for the first time since 1982 after winning promotion from League One.
Phil Parkinson’s men finished second, behind record-breakers Birmingham City, who claimed the league title with a whopping 111 points.
Birmingham and Wrexham are now battling to sign Harry Darling from Swansea City, as the two clubs aim to launch their Premier League promotion bid.
The Red Dragons are also dipping into the top-flight market for some proven Championship players, including Fulham’s Tom Cairney.
Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images
Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images
Tom Cairney is ‘considering his options’ ahead of potential Wrexham move
It emerged earlier on Thursday that Wrexham were plotting a shock move for Cairney, who sees his contract at Craven Cottage expire this summer.
Stat (Champ) Tom Cairney career so far
Games 318
Goals 45
Assists 51
The 34-year-old was in talks over a new deal with the Premier League side, though he is available on a free transfer, with Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney aiming to snap him up.
Speaking exclusively to EFL Analysis, transfer expert Graeme Bailey has revealed that Wrexham have offered the Scottish playmaker a ‘substantial’ sum and he is ‘considering his options’ before deciding where his future lies.
“I am told from people close to Cairney that he is considering his options, but one of those is from Wrexham, and I believe it is a substantial one,” Bailey said.
“He had been talking to Fulham about a new deal, but he can leave on a free and he could very well end up in North Wales.
“It certainly would be Wrexham drawing a line in the sand and showing people they are not going to be in the Championship just to make up the numbers.”
.@talkSPORT understands Wrexham are willing to pay Cairney £50,000-a-week. https://t.co/WO1IEil62j
— Alex Crook ⚽️🎙 (@alex_crook) May 15, 2025
Cairney would require a pay increase to join the Championship newcomers, and according to talkSPORT, Wrexham are willing to offer him a staggering £50,000-a-week.
That would make him one of the highest-paid players in the second tier, and considering he’s approaching the end of his career, it wouldn’t be the wisest move financially.
Paying Cairney £50k-a-week is insane
Formerly of Hull City and Blackburn Rovers before joining Fulham a decade ago, Cairney was once a classy operator in the second tier.
In 2022, he achieved promotion with the Cottagers under the guidance of Marco Silva and he played a starring role in the middle of the park.
Cairney undoubtedly possesses the same technical ability, capable of pulling the strings from a deep-lying role or as a number 10.
But financially, offering him a ludicrous amount of wages makes no sense, and it’s those sorts of deals that can come back to bite clubs later down the line.
Wrexham already have an ageing squad, most notably veteran duo James McClean and Steven Fletcher. That means their focus should be on signing younger players with potential, instead of paying over the odds for older stars.