Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson has done well to build his Wrexham squad this season, in particular managing to find an alternative to one injured star.
Wrexham’s hotly anticipated 2025/26 Championship campaign kicks off this weekend, and there is every bit of optimism around the Racecourse Ground that the Red Dragons can get off to a positive start.
The opening Championship weekend sees Wrexham travel to a Southampton side who will be keen to bounce back from their difficult Premier League relegation last term.
Wrexham themselves will be feeling confident ahead of the season after Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac financially backed Phil Parkinson this summer and helped him add Championship quality to his ranks.
One signing in particular has already proven to be a worthwhile deal based on the injury issues that Wrexham currently face.
Phil Parkinson will be glad he signed Lewis O’Brien as Ollie Rathbone update surfaces
Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson made Lewis O’Brien one of his primary targets this summer after a terrific spell in South Wales with Swansea City, where he was on loan from Premier League side Nottingham Forest.
There are plenty of expectations on O’Brien to be a key player this season, and whilst some questioned the hefty £5m fee that Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac decided to spend on the midfielder, it has already proven to be money spent correctly.
Wrexham were in dire need of extra depth in the centre of the park this summer, and the deal to bring O’Brien to the Racecourse Ground has made that much less urgent. Without O’Brien in the squad, Parkinson could have had a crisis on his hands after Ollie Rathbone suffered an injury in the Australia and New Zealand Tour.
Ahead of the clash with Southampton, Parkinson gave an update on Wrexham’s Rathbone, having said: “I am really frustrated for Ollie because he was Player of the Season last year so that was a real blow for us.”
- READ MORE: Wrexham in ‘advanced talks’ to sign Premier League player as Dragons close in on signing number nine
Phil Parkinson will be keen for Ollie Rathbone to return and fight for his Wrexham place
On 18 July, Phil Parkinson confirmed: “Ollie Rathbone had an x-ray which showed no break but subsequently he had a scan and he’s now in a boot for two weeks, we will assess the injury more after that.”
This means that Rathbone will not be too far away from a return to the side, however, he will miss the season opener against Southampton.
Rathbone was a key player for Parkinson’s side last season, and with the Championship experience he boasts from his time at Rotherham United, the Wrexham boss will be keen to get him back up to speed.