What next for Rosie Hughes?

What next for Rosie Hughes? North Wales? England? the USA?

There were a few eyebrows raised in May when Wrexham AFC Women announced their record-breaking goal machine had been released.

It brought to an end a memorable five-season stay with the Red Dragons in which the 30-year-old scored a club women’s record 136 goals in 115 appearances.

So now the question arises, after her departure from the Adran Premier champions, what will be the North Walian’s next move?

Grassroots North Wales understands Hughes has been seen training with reigning Adran North champions Connah’s Quay Nomads this summer.

And earlier today on social media, those very Nomads were vigorously promising big plans for the 2026-27 season, which will see them aim to make it three Adran North titles in a row.

The ultimate target, of course, is to win promotion to the Adran Premier, Nomads having failed to get over the line for the past two seasons after losing in a play-off against the Adran South champions.

Will Hughes consider a drop into Tier 2? After the semi-pro deal she was on at Wrexham, one guesses such a move will not come cheap.

Tier 2 again? While Hughes had her moments for Wrexham in the Adran Premier, she often struggled to command a regular place in the line-up and slipped down the pecking order whenever new signings came in.

Of her 136 Wrexham goals, 90 of them came at Tier 2 – just half of that number came as a Tier 1 player and a fair few in that spell were Welsh Cup goals against lower league teams.

However, Hughes is rightly regarded as a Wrexham AFC legend, not just for her football, but also her TV appearances and let’s not forget that Home Run triumph!

Newly-promoted and very ambitions Adran North club Wrexham Foresters are understood to have spoken to Hughes, but no further progress is known of.

English Pyramid? Several North Wales players have already committed to joining the English system in recent weeks. Double Nomads title-winning duo Polly Wild-McGregor and Elana Harley have already signed for Chester FC Women.

Might Hughes join the exodus from a North Wales pyramid which suffers from an apparent FAW reluctance to organise a proper promotion system?

With her experience and track record, there would be no shortage of offers for Hughes, especially from clubs in the North West.

Or is it back to the USA?

There’s another possibility……Wrexham AFC are understood to be helping Hughes get a football-associated job in the USA, where of course the club has such strong connections through its Hollywood owners.

So what will it be? Nomads? Foresters? England? USA? or something else…..

No doubt, with the 2026-27 season drawing ever closer we should hear something soon.