One Wrexham player has been highlighted as Phil Parkinson’s most important player for the upcoming season, and surprisingly, it is not one of Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac’s blockbuster signings.
Wrexham will face off in the 2025/26 Championship season after their record-breaking three successive promotions, taking them from the National League to the Championship.
Many suggested that the Red Dragons may struggle with the jump up to the Championship from League One, however, Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac have supplied Phil Parkinson with many signings to make sure the team is up for the challenge.
The Wrexham owners have added a Championship goalscoring threat to the ranks with the additions of both Ryan Hardie and Josh Windass from Plymouth Argyle and Sheffield Wednesday, respectively.
Liberato Cacace has also joined Wrexham alongside Danny Ward, who has returned to the club he served as a youngster.
Whilst Wrexham have spent big this summer, they have been told by one EFL expert that their biggest strength in fact lies within a player who has been at the club since the National League days.
Wrexham star Max Cleworth named as Phil Parkinson’s most important player
Rather than noting one of Wrexham’s marquee signings, EFL expert Justin Peach has noted Max Cleworth as the Red Dragons’ most important player in the upcoming Championship season.
He suggested on the Second Tier Podcast that his unique story truly makes him one to watch, with him being the only consistently played Wrexham player who was at the club before Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac took over in the National League.
Following each promotion, Cleworth has done brilliantly to adapt to the jump in quality, especially last season, offering a goalscoring threat on top of his dominance in defence.
Discussing Cleworth, Peach said: “He’s come through the ranks at Wrexham. He’s a completely different story from the one we’re used to hearing about. Max Cleworth has really shone at the club since he broke through.
“He’s a good size; I think that’s important when you’re coming up from League One to Championship, and being young, almost 23, 6′ 3.
“He was in the League One team of the season last season, so he’s a solid defender, but he’s capable with his feet. He’s a really tidy player.
“I think the fact that he’s performed to a standard where Wrexham haven’t felt like they’ve needed to upgrade him or upgrade in that position is a testament to him and his quality.
“I don’t think they need to upgrade him because I think he’s he was Wrexham’s best player last season. All the underlying data points that being the case and you know he’s a homegrown talent.”
Max Cleworth is one of Wrexham’s top assets
At 22 years old, Max Cleworth has an incredible amount of potential still to reach in his career, and there is no doubt that the upcoming Championship season will be highly beneficial for the youngster.
As a young English centre-back, Cleworth already has many reasons as to why he holds such a high value for the club, and a season in the second tier will only increase that.
Providing that he can continue to show the quality he offered in League One last season, it would be safe to suggest that Cleworth is one of Wrexham’s top assets regarding value, and is someone who Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac need to keep hold of as a result.