Wrexham completed 13 summer signings as Phil Parkinson conducted major surgery on his squad after promotion from League One.
Reports ahead of the transfer window suggested that Wrexham would spend big on new additions.
Spending was to be expected after Wrexham’s promotion to the Championship, but few could have expected such an enormous outlay.
Wrexham outspent Barcelona over the summer, racking up a transfer bill of more than £30million.
Not all of that will have been paid this summer, with Wrexham likely to have structured deals wisely for the future.
Wrexham fans are starting to form opinions on the new signings, so let’s dig into some early grades for Wrexham’s 13 additions.
Ryan Hardie
A striker who scored double figures in his two Championship seasons with Plymouth Argyle, Ryan Hardie was Wrexham’s first addition of the summer at just £700,000.
That is a bargain price for a striker who has proven himself at Championship level, and Hardie is likely to come in and out of the side this season.
Phil Parkinson is a big fan of Hardie, and we rated his arrival highly, especially at such a low price.
Grade: B
Danny Ward
Goalkeeper Danny Ward returned to Wrexham on a free transfer after leaving Leicester City over the summer.
Ward looked to be a strange signing at first, as Arthur Okonkwo was brilliant last season and Callum Burton showed promising signs despite his injury lay-off.
Ward has largely performed well early in the season, though, and the fact that he has been given the nod over Okonkwo sums up how Parkinson feels about the Wales stopper.
Now set for a spell on the sidelines through injury, Ward will have to prove himself once again upon his return, as Okonkwo prepares for another run between the sticks.
Grade: B
Liberato Cacace
Few could have expected Wrexham to be signing Serie A regulars just a few years ago, but Liberato Cacace’s arrival represented a major addition.
Cacace joined Wrexham from Empoli and has the potential to become the club’s starting left wing-back for years to come.
Cacace is strong, athletic and versatile, while still having untapped potential at just 24 – and we think he can make himself a key player over the course of the season.
Grade: A
George Thomason
Phil Parkinson raided former club Bolton Wanderers as Wrexham snapped up midfielder George Thomason for around £1.2million.
Thomason has been on an incredible rise, having dropped into non-league football with Longridge Town after leaving Blackpool as a teenager.
Thomason was a real leader at Bolton, but his role could be impacted by the signings of Lewis O’Brien and Ben Sheaf.
The 24-year-old will receive his chance to shine, and the way he has adapted and impressed at each level on his rise leaves us hopeful of a strong Championship campaign.
Injury has prevented Thomason from making an impact, and with questions over the competition he faces moving forward, he receives a middling grade for now, with plenty of potential to end the season with a much higher grade.
Grade: C
Josh Windass
Sheffield Wednesday’s financial problems saw Josh Windass move on, and Wrexham were in a great position to pounce.
Wrexham quickly secured Windass on a free transfer, and he quickly made his impact felt with a goal on the opening day against Southampton.
Windass is currently out injured, but signing a proven and versatile Championship forward with a recent record of success on a free transfer will always receive a high grade.
Grade: A
Lewis O’Brien
Wrexham won the race for Lewis O’Brien, paying around £3million to sign the midfielder from Nottingham Forest.
O’Brien has previously excelled in the Championship with Huddersfield Town, Middlesbrough and Swansea City, so his arrival was a major addition.
We have already seen signs of O’Brien’s quality with goals against West Bromwich Albion and Millwall, and this is a signing we absolutely love, given his energy and goal threat from midfield.
Grade: A
Conor Coady
An experienced signing in defence looked likely, and Wrexham were looking at Craig Dawson as a potential signing.
Wrexham then signed Conor Coady instead, landing the former England international in a £2million raid on Leicester City.
Coady is a brilliant leader and character around the dressing room, making him the perfect fit for Parkinson’s ethos at Wrexham.
Coady is also an ideal fit in the heart of Wrexham’s back three, and he should make a strong impact this season despite now being 32.
Grade: B
Kieffer Moore
Phil Parkinson loves to use a target man up front, and they don’t get much better than Kieffer Moore at Championship level.
Moore joined Wrexham from Sheffield United, as the Welsh international arrived in a £2million deal.
Moore is already on his way to becoming a Wrexham cult hero, bagging four goals in his last three games, as well as a goal for Wales against Kazakhstan.
The giant forward is making a suitably huge impact, and every other Wrexham signing is looking to follow in his footsteps at this early stage.
Grade: A
Nathan Broadhead
Wrexham spent big money over the course of the summer, but Nathan Broadhead’s arrival was the most significant deal.
Wrexham forked out up to £10million on Broadhead, 17 years after he left the club as a child to join Everton.
Broadhead has yet to shine upon his return to Wrexham, and pre-existing injury concerns have already caused problems.
We still have faith in Broadhead to make a huge impact, but the fee and injury concerns are ever-so-slight drawbacks for us.
Grade: B
Callum Doyle
Broadhead was Wrexham’s biggest signing of the summer, but Callum Doyle’s move from Manchester City came in second place.
Doyle joined Wrexham for around £5million, rising to £7.5million, and has already impressed on loan at Coventry City, Leicester City and Norwich City.
Young, proven in the Championship and playing in a premium position in modern football, Doyle looks to be an incredible investment for Wrexham.
Grade: A
Ben Sheaf
Parkinson wanted more quality in midfield, and Wrexham snapped up Ben Sheaf from Coventry City on transfer deadline day.
Sheaf arrived for around £6.5million, and offers proven Championship quality, having become a star with Coventry City.
Injuries have been a problem for Sheaf in recent times, and that is the only major concern from what is an otherwise brilliant move.
Grade: B
Issa Kabore
Wrexham already have Ryan Barnett and Ryan Longman at right wing-back, but Parkinson wanted another option in that area.
Issa Kabore joined Wrexham on loan from Manchester City, and brings experience from some major European clubs, such as Benfica, Marseille and Werder Bremen.
The Burkina Faso international has strong experience as a right-back and right wing-back, but needs to improve his attacking output.
After seven assists in 34 games for Mechelen, Kabore has only managed six assists in 103 games elsewhere.
Kabore has bags of pace, but he must contribute with goals and assists, given how productive Barnett and Longman have been for Wrexham.
Grade: B
Dominic Hyam
Wrexham left it late to sign Dominic Hyam, prising the defender away from Blackburn Rovers in a £2.7million move.
The Scot is another proven Championship player from his spells with Coventry City and Blackburn, and offers strong competition across the back three.
We would still want to see Max Cleworth as Wrexham’s right-sided defender, but Hyam has the quality to step in for Cleworth or Conor Coady and will certainly play a huge role over the course of the season.
Grade: B