Rangers have formally launched a transfer pursuit to sign Josh Windass from Wrexham, marking the Scottish Premiership club's third attempt to re-sign the prolific forward. The 32-year-old striker, who earned Wrexham Player of the Season honours, has rejected previous overtures but Rangers manager Danny Rohl is determined to bring the attacker back to Ibrox after previously working together at Sheffield Wednesday.
Windass delivered an outstanding 2024-25 campaign at the Racecourse Ground, scoring a club-record 16 Championship goals across 41 league appearances while providing five assists. His prolific form has caught the attention of Rangers, who finished third in the Scottish Premiership behind Celtic and Hearts. The forward originally played for Rangers between 2016 and 2018, appearing 73 times for the Glasgow outfit before departing.
Contract Security Strengthens Wrexham's Position
Despite Rangers' renewed interest, Windass remains committed to Wrexham's ambitious project. The forward signed a three-year contract extension in summer 2024, keeping him at the Welsh club until 2028—a significant barrier to any potential transfer. When asked about his future earlier this month, Windass told talkSPORT: "I signed a three-year deal in the summer. I feel like I had a really good year this year, and yeah, hopefully next year we can go one better."
Wrexham rejected a formal Rangers approach during the January transfer window and possess considerable financial leverage given Windass's long-term deal. Transfer expert Ben Jacobs reports that official club-to-club negotiations have not yet commenced, suggesting any move remains in early exploratory stages. The Hollywood-backed club is preparing to make another Championship promotion push and views Windass as central to that ambition.
Rangers' Summer Recruitment Strategy
The Ibrox club's pursuit of Windass forms part of a broader attacking overhaul following their third-place finish. Rangers are simultaneously engaged in advanced negotiations to sign Hearts forward Lawrence Shankland, indicating they are targeting multiple striking options. Rohl's track record of developing Windass at Sheffield Wednesday—where the forward netted 50 goals under his management—underscores the manager's belief in reuniting with his former player.
Wrexham's ownership will likely resist any cut-price offers for their star asset as they prepare a squad capable of closing the gap to the Championship play-offs. Whether Rangers can convince Windass to reverse his commitment to Welsh football remains the key question as summer approaches.
