
Wrexham line up ambitious double swoop for two Scotland stars as Celtic hero set to join third club in a YEAR
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WREXHAM had three Scottish players in their team last season as they continued their rise up the English pyramid and into the English Championship.
As things stand, though, there are no Scots in the squad for their Championship push this year - after both Steven Fletcher and Josh Adams left at the end of their contracts, while James Jones quit the club in January.
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Wrexham co-chairmen Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds
Credit: PA
The ambitious Welsh team, however, look set to refill their Scottish quota this summer as they are lining up offers for two Scots who have been capped 78 times for the national team combined.
SunSport understands Wrexham - owned by Hollywood superstars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney - are eyeing up deals for out-of-contract duo Stuart Armstrong and Barry Bannan.
Former Celtic and Dundee United midfielder Armstrong, 33, is on the hunt for the sixth club of his career - and his third in less than a YEAR.
He left Southampton after six years at St Mary's last summer when his deal expired and spent a number of weeks without a team before he headed across the pond to link up with old pal Ryan Gauld at Vancouver Whitecaps.
Armstrong only penned a short-term deal with the MLS side and headed back to the UK to join Sheffield Wednesday for a few months when that deal expired.
And he's a free agent once again as he was released by the Owls when the season finished last month.
He played alongside club legend Bannan last season, who is also searching for a new team for the first time in a decade.
The 35-year-old, who is Sheffield Wednesday's captain, is also coming to the end of his deal and could be set for one last move before he retires.
The Owls have been in talks with the veteran to extend his contract beyond this summer but both parties have yet to reach an agreement.
Now newly-promoted Wrexham are plotting to prise the midfielder away from Hillsborough this summer.
Wrexham stars including ex-Premier League ace party with Hollywood hunk Channing Tatum after Cambridge draw
Should the duo complete the move then they will face their former Sheffield Wednesday team-mates in the league next season.
The Owls finished in 12th place last season with both Bannan and Armstrong featuring regularly.
Bannan made 45 appearances across all competitions, while Armstrong played 11 times since arriving at the end of January.
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