Mikel Arteta's brutal transfer rule being used by Ryan Reynolds and big-spending Wrexham

Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson operates under a golden principle when recruiting fresh talent that mirrors Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta's methodology. The ex-Sunderland and Bradford boss has registered some remarkable achievements since assuming control of the Welsh outfit in July 2021.

Supported by the financial backing of Hollywood actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, Parkinson has secured three consecutive promotions, propelling the Red Dragons from the National League into the Championship. Detractors frequently cite Wrexham's wealth as grounds to diminish their accomplishments. However, club director Shaun Harvey has now revealed the thorough research Parkinson conducts before acquiring new signings. Mirroring Arteta's stringent non-negotiables regarding player character at Arsenal, he said Wrexham maintain a rigid "no d*******s" policy. Harvey disclosed the club's proven transfer strategy during an appearance on former Wrexham and Manchester United goalkeeper Ben Foster's Fozcast podcast.

"We still have what most people would recognise as a more traditional model, where the manager is all things," said the former EFL chief executive. "He helps recruit players, identify players, and ultimately, from a footballing perspective, Phil has the ultimate sign off.

"It's been couched around Wrexham as Phil's d******* test. Is he going to fit in, or is he going to upset the dressing room culture? The dressing room culture plays such a big part in the success of any team so background checks will be done. Some will be good, some will be bad.

"The bad ones, you don't take forward and you leave them on one side. The best player signings are those that have probably been discussed that little bit more openly with a group of people who've got no vested interest other than the success of the football club."

Wrexham have completed six signings during this summer window, initially securing Plymouth striker Ryan Hardie, Leicester goalkeeper Danny Ward and Empoli left-back Liberato Cacace following their promotion from League One. They have also recruited Bolton captain George Thomason, former Sheffield Wednesday forward Josh Windass and Nottingham Forest midfielder Lewis O'Brien to their squad this week.

Parkinson's rigorous emphasis on selecting the right character traits is in line with Arteta's philosophy at Arsenal. The Spaniard has admitted his demanding standards for new recruits on numerous occasions.

Speaking to in 2022, he said: "Around the club, we have to make a lot of good decisions and when we talk about non-negotiables, it's about the values that have to be installed. If someone is going to damage those values and environment, they should not be part of the club.

"When we set the objectives, we made a compromise that only the best people and the best players are going to come through this door. And when you cannot recruit that, it's better not to recruit."

Delving deeper into his recruitment strategy, Arteta told the podcast: "I will try to recruit players that we can all feel that they are part of us, and they are able to transmit the values and the ideas that we have at the club.

"First of all they have to love the game, and someone that loves winning. They need to love the club, so they need to be willing to join us for the right reasons, and then characters that can complement what we already have and provide what we don't have."