Phil Parkinson may have work to do with Liberato Cacace if he is to sign for Wrexham after his difficult stint in Italy’s top division.
Wrexham have reportedly reached an agreement to sign Liberato Cacace from Empoli ahead of the 2025/26 Championship season, with a fee of £2.6m being the likely sum that Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac have agreed.
The likely signing of the New Zealand international will be quite the coup for Phil Parkinson and the Red Dragons, especially because of the 24-year-old’s vast experience in Serie A.
Cacace has often been utilised as a full-back during his career, but could also offer depth in attacking-midfield for Wrexham this season – a position where they are somewhat lacking in quantity.
Whilst on paper it is a brilliant signing for Wrexham, there is one concern that Parkinson may have to see to following his likely arrival at the Racecourse Ground.
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Liberato Cacace’s recent Serie A record is a concern for Wrexham
Having notched 76 appearances in Serie A since his move from Sint-Truiden to Empoli, Cacace has developed experience playing against several top stars.
As Wrexham move into the Championship, Cacace will likely play a crucial role due to his experience playing at such a high level.
However, Phil Parkinson will be familiar with Cacace’s record in the disastrous 2024/25 season, where his Empoli side suffered relegation after a lacklustre back-end of the campaign.
Empoli were massively out of their depth in Serie A, which led to a run of 19 games without a single win.
Cacace played a significant role in this end-of-season rot, playing across the pitch – on the wings, in attacking midfield, and at full-back.
Phil Parkinson must ensure that he can correct Liberato Cacace’s mentality
Unfortunately, Cacace was not able to steer his side away from relegation, something that easily could have hampered his confidence.
Coming into a high-spirited Wrexham side, who have notched three successive promotions from the National League to the Championship, Phil Parkinson will be keen for Cacace to mould perfectly into the side, and for that, he will need to restore the confidence he may have lost.
Wrexham may not have a full squad brimming with Championship-quality players yet; however, Parkinson’s emphasis on mentality has transformed decent players into top ones. Hopefully, Cacace can put his dire Serie A 2024/25 campaign behind him and reach heights with Wrexham that he has achieved in previous seasons.