Wrexham and Birmingham City won promotion from League One in 2024/25 and are now linked with moves for the same player.
Wrexham outperformed Birmingham City in one area across the most recent campaign despite finishing 19 points behind them in the table.
Both clubs won automatic promotion and, along with play-off winners Charlton Athletic, are set to compete in the Championship later this year.
Wrexham lost to Birmingham in the first fixture the pair played out in 2024/25, with the game at the Racecourse Ground ending as a stalemate.
After the close of the campaign, Tom Brady has hit out at the Red Dragons, who his team are now competing with for the signature of one player.
Photo by Catherine Ivill – AMA/Getty ImagesEmile Heskey tells Wrexham target to join Birmingham City
It was reported last month that both Wrexham and Birmingham were interested in Harry Darling.
The defender has been offered a new contract by Swansea City, but he is yet to accept and is due to become a free agent at the end of June.
It emerged this week that Norwich City were potential frontrunners for Darling, but Emile Heskey has now explained why moving to Brady’s side would be a ‘great step’ for the centre-back.
He told Football League World: “He’s [Darling] got that Championship pedigree and that’s what you need. It’s very difficult at times when your owners or CEO trying to put a squad together. You really want to give the opportunity to the lads that got you there, but there are levels that you need to step up and to be competitive, and you soon find that out very quickly.
“They’ll find out who can cut it in the Championship and who can’t, and what they need to do to take that next step, but it would be a great step for Darling as he’s got pedigree in the Championship who understands the Championship’s needs.
“The Championship is a very fast and relentless league. I played in it with Bolton, and it’s non-stop, so you need robust figures and players.”
Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty ImagesCentre-backs Wrexham could sign
It remains to be seen which club Darling could end up picking if he doesn’t renew with Swansea.
But even if they miss out, Wrexham are being linked with plenty more centre-back options.
Ben Davies excelled for Wales at centre-back over the weekend amid the Dragons’ interest in him.
Aaron Cresswell and Craig Dawson are wanted by Wrexham as they prepare to start looking for new clubs.