Lewis O’Brien could soon call Wrexham home, having only recently missed out on a permanent move to Los Angeles.
Wrexham have now secured two summer signings as Phil Parkinson ramps up preparations for life in the Championship.
Danny Ward signed for Wrexham on Tuesday, with the goalkeeper penning a two-year deal at the STōK Cae Ras.
Leicester City released Ward this summer, meaning he has been able to rejoin Wrexham on a free transfer, more than a decade since leaving for Liverpool.
Wrexham are expected to spend this summer, but Parkinson’s business so far has been measured.
Ryan Hardie cost Wrexham £700,000, and Ward has arrived on a free transfer, meaning fans are waiting for a big-money addition.
How Wrexham target Lewis O’Brien fared in Los Angeles
Wrexham have been interested in Lewis O’Brien throughout the summer window, and he could be the big addition.
The midfielder appears to have no future with Nottingham Forest, having been out on loan four times since his arrival in 2022.
One of those loan moves saw O’Brien head to LAFC, as he jetted out to Los Angeles last summer.
O’Brien had previously been on loan to MLS rivals D.C. United and turned out 18 times for LAFC in 2024, registering one goal and one assist.
As noted by The Sun, LAFC had a £7million purchase option on O’Brien and expected the deal to go through.
Yet as January arrived, LAFC decided not to sign O’Brien after all, as funds were committed to other deals.
O’Brien was seemingly poised for a long-term future in L.A., but he instead returned to Forest and was then loaned to Swansea City.
The Sun’s Alan Nixon now claims that Ryan Reynolds and L.A.-based Rob McElhenney want to bring O’Brien to Wrexham amid positive reviews of his time in Major League Soccer.
McElhenney and Reynolds would never really be part of the recruitment team, but they may at least be ready to stump up the cash to bring O’Brien to Wrexham in a record move.
Lewis O’Brien could become Wrexham’s record signing
Wrexham are preparing a bid for O’Brien – and it would be a new club record by some distance.
It’s claimed that Wrexham are planning to offer around £5million for O’Brien in the hope of striking a deal with Forest.
Forest allegedly want £8million, which is an increase on the deal LAFC had in the pipeline.
Wrexham will hope to grind that price down, but will still pay more than double the £2million record signing of Sam Smith in January.
This would be a serious statement for Wrexham, and O’Brien may well fancy the excitement of the Wrexham project after missing out on a life-changing stay in L.A.