26 July 2023 , 14:22
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Wrexham could be forced to enter the transfer market after Paul Mullin suffered a punctured lung in their 3-1 win against Manchester United on Tuesday.
Mullin, 28, picked up the worrying injury after a "reckless" challenge from Nathan Bishop. The United goalkeeper has apologised to Mullin, who's scored 79 goals in 97 games for Wrexham, for the incident, which left Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson furious.
Parkinson now faces an anxious wait to see if the forward will be fit for the start of the new League Two season. It's Wrexham's first campaign in the English Football League (EFL) for 16 years after their National League title triumph in May.
It's unclear how long it will take for Mullin to recover from his injury, although punctured lungs can take up to eight weeks to heal. Wrexham's League Two campaign starts in just 10 days' time when promotion rivals MK Dons travel to the Racecourse.
Parkinson will now be considering reversing his transfer plans. Wrexham have signed just one player this summer, defender Will Boyle from Huddersfield, and weren't planning on investing a fortune into a squad that picked up a staggering 111 points last season.
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"I don't think we need loads of players," Parkinson told the TWS Sports Podcast. "I think we already got 20 plus players and if we can bring one or two key players, then I will be happy. If we didn't and we continued with the same squad, I won't be complaining."
Yet Parkinson may think differently after Mullin's injury. The prolific striker, who joined Wrexham from Cambridge two years ago, posted a picture from his hospital bed on social media with the caption: "Thank you for all your messages! All good here!"
Paul Mullin was left in hospital after colliding with Nathan Bishop (Getty Images)Do you think Wrexham should dip into the transfer market after Paul Mullin's injury? Let us know in the comments below!
Parkinson was raging after his team's win against United in San Diego because of Mullin's injury. He said: "I’m fuming about it, I’ve got to be honest with you. It was a clumsy, reckless, challenge in a pre-season game and I’m not happy with it at all.
"I haven’t seen the goalie and he’s probably best steering clear of us for the time being because we’re not very happy. It should have been a straight red.
"If it’s not denying a goal scoring opportunity it’s still a dangerous challenge, so if you add the two scenarios together he should have been off the pitch. It’s a dangerous challenge and obviously Paul Mullin is our talisman."
Bishop apologised to Mullin on social media shortly after the incident. He tweeted: "Just wanted to share my sincerest apologies. A complete misjudgement and a genuine accident with zero malicious intent at all! Wishing you the speediest recovery and hope to see you back scoring goals as soon as possible!"
United's academy coach Travis Binnion, who took charge of the game while Erik ten Hag watched on, added: "It’s part and parcel of the game, nobody wants to see anyone get injured. He’s made an honest challenge, he’s come off worse. He’s already reached out to him... He’s a great lad Bish, he hasn’t got a bad bone in his body."