Wrexham have snapped up Lewis O’Brien with the midfielder completing his move from Nottingham Forest on Thursday.
Wrexham just keep making signings, with Phil Parkinson bringing in four new faces over the last week.
New Zealand ace Liberato Cacace joined Wrexham on Friday, before George Thomason joined from Bolton Wanderers.
Josh Windass signed for Wrexham on Wednesday, but Parkinson still had time for one more addition with Lewis O’Brien arriving from Nottingham Forest.
O’Brien has penned a three-year deal with Wrexham, leaving Swansea City fans disappointed in the process.
- READ MORE: Wrexham’s confirmed transfers in 2025 summer window, incomings, outgoings and latest rumours
Winners from Lewis O’Brien’s Wrexham move
Phil Parkinson
This one is obvious, but O’Brien is an enormous coup for Wrexham.
Any promoted team from League One in recent times would have jumped at the chance to take O’Brien, but he was far too lofty a target.
Wrexham have managed to pull off a deal, and Parkinson now has a proven Championship midfielder at his disposal – one who didn’t even look out of place in the Premier League in limited appearances with Forest.
O’Brien will now be the heartbeat of Wrexham’s midfield, and Parkinson can sleep well, knowing that he has pulled off a major signing.
Liberato Cacace
Wrexham snapped up Liberato Cacace last week, bringing the New Zealand international in a then-club-record deal, which has now been eclipsed by O’Brien’s arrival.
Cacace is set to line up as a left wing-back for Wrexham, and it’s important to have a midfielder he can connect with on the left side of Wrexham’s engine room.
They don’t get much better than O’Brien at Championship level, and his quality on the ball, care in possession, and outstanding work rate mean he should support Cacace brilliantly and make Wrexham a force down the left side.
Cacace is also set for his first taste of Championship football, and having a proven player like O’Brien right next to him should aid his transition.
Lewis O’Brien
This isn’t how we tend to approach the winners and losers, but O’Brien must feel like a big, big winner right now.
The 26-year-old joined Nottingham Forest in 2022, but wasn’t able to make a prolonged impact.
O’Brien has been sent out on loan four times by Forest and finally has a permanent move to celebrate.
Wrexham has become O’Brien’s new permanent home, and that is something which will mean so, so much to him.
Losers from Lewis O’Brien’s Wrexham move
Elliot Lee
This one really, really pains us to write.
Elliot Lee has been outstanding for Wrexham ever since his 2022 arrival, offering a real goal threat from midfield.
Lee will go down as a modern hero alongside Paul Mullin and Ollie Palmer, but his spot on the left side of Wrexham’s midfield may now be taken by O’Brien.
We would love to see Lee make a big impact in the Championship, especially after a tricky 2025 to date, but O’Brien’s arrival almost certainly impacts his minutes.
Wrexham midfielders
Lee’s position is under direct threat from O’Brien’s arrival, but other Wrexham midfielders may also feel a little twitchy.
Wrexham signed George Thomason just days ago, and Parkinson has now pounced to sign O’Brien in another boost to his midfield options.
The likes of Andy Cannon, George Evans and even George Dobson could look at the signings of Thomason and O’Brien, and wonder about their roles moving forward.
One midfield signing may not have been a huge concern, but two means Wrexham are stacked with midfielders – and that could lead to one or two departures.