Pavel Šulc has explained why he turned down a move to Wrexham after the Championship club were identified as making the biggest offer for him during the summer transfer window.
The Lyon attacker was heavily linked with a switch to North Wales late in the window, but has now said that neither the Championship nor a move to what he described as a small town in Wales held enough appeal.
His comments provide the strongest indication yet that Wrexham’s interest went well beyond transfer speculation, even if the exact size of the club’s proposal has never been publicly confirmed.
Šulc explains why Wrexham move did not appeal
Speaking to Seznam Zprávy, Šulc was told that Wrexham had offered the most for him over the summer, with the figure discussed in the Czech interview put at around one billion crowns. Asked whether the move had interested him, Šulc gave a direct answer.
“Honestly? Wrexham might be a cult club with a fairytale Hollywood story, but I didn’t want to go to the Championship, nor to a small town in Wales. Hopefully, that doesn’t sound too arrogant.”
Šulc did not personally confirm the precise value of Wrexham’s proposal, but his answer makes clear that the possibility of moving to the Cae Ras was genuine.
Wrexham pursuit was one of the summer’s boldest moves
Reports in August suggested Wrexham were preparing a club-record approach, with BBC Sport among the outlets linking the Reds with the Czech Republic international.
A figure of around £35 million appeared regularly around the potential deal, although that should be treated as part of the reported valuation and proposed package rather than a confirmed formal Wrexham bid. Šulc also explained in his Czech interview that Lyon received several approaches during the summer, but none were considered high enough by the French club to sanction a sale.
That left Lyon in a strong position despite interest surrounding one of their most productive attacking players.
Juventus held greater appeal for Šulc
The contrast with Juventus is revealing. Šulc admitted he “dreamed a little” when the Italian giants made contact and spoke enthusiastically about the club’s history, stadium and the prospect of living in Italy.
That possibility came to nothing as well, with Lyon again unwilling to sell at the level being offered. Šulc instead remained in France and has begun the new season productively, recording three assists in his first five Ligue 1 appearances. That follows an impressive first campaign at Lyon in which he scored 11 Ligue 1 goals before being named Czech Footballer of the Year for 2025.
For Wrexham, the episode underlines how far their recruitment ambitions have moved. They were prepared to compete for an established Ligue 1 and Czech international, but Šulc’s explanation also shows that financial power and global profile cannot always overcome the pull of top-flight European football.
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