Wrexham and Derby County are competing to sign an out-of-sorts Wolves star.
Wolverhampton Wanderers defender Craig Dawson is attracting interest from the Championship ahead of his contract expiry at the end of this month.
Dawson has been an outcast at Wolves pretty much ever since Vitor Pereira arrived but his nightmare 2025 could soon come to an end with a promising new chapter of his career expected to begin. Pereira never fancied Dawson as an option despite his preference to play a back three with Matt Doherty - by trade a right-back and also in his mid-thirties - well ahead in the pecking order.
It was a great shame to see Dawson thrust aside since he’d been one of the very few members of the squad to take responsibility and show accountability when Wolves were suffering under Gary O’Neil. That’s just the way Pereira seems to operate, however, and the pair clearly never saw eye to eye.
Dawson turned 35 in May and is very well aware that he’s entering the twilight years of his career, but he’s determined to keep on playing. There are some exciting offers that could soon be on the table, too, with a much more important role envisaged than what he had during his final days at Molineux.
The Sun reports Dawson has been added to two Championship shortlists as Wrexham AFC and Derby County have been keeping tabs on his situation. Both clubs are eager to tap into Dawson’s experience and believe he could play a pivotal role next season.
Having a strong core to your team is important in any division but especially in the Championship as it’s so competitive and unpredictable. Dawson might be regressing as a player but he’s shown he’s still more than capable of competing at a top level – and he could strengthen said core for both Wrexham and Derby.
It could be fairly straightforward for Dawson to settle in at either club, too, as the Red Dragons and the Rams both operate with a back three like Wolves do. The former Great Britain international may not have the speed to glide past pressing opposition attackers but he’s effective in passing out from defence, a quality that is becoming increasingly valuable in the modern game.
Wrexham ended the season with Max Cleworth, Dan Scarr and Lewis Brunt as their best three but Dawson would undoubtedly brush one aside to start most weeks. Derby, meanwhile, utilised Matt Clarke, Sondre Langas and Nat Phillips as their trio but the latter will soon be returning to his parent club, Liverpool, and will need replacing.
West Brom must act quickly if they want Craig Dawson reunion
Although West Bromwich Albion are yet to be formally linked with Dawson, a return to The Hawthorns shouldn’t be ruled out. The veteran defender played 225 times for the Baggies between 2010 and 2019 and was one of the first names on the team sheet for five consecutive seasons before departing for Watford.
Albion are looking for at least two new central defenders this summer as Semi Ajayi is departing upon the expiry of his contract and Mason Holgate’s loan from Everton won’t be extended. It all depends on who the new manager will be and whether they think Dawson is a suitable signing, of course, but it’s a move that could ultimately make sense.
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