Wrexham now appear to be in a transfer chase with Welsh rivals Swansea City, and La Liga giants Valencia.
A few years ago, Wrexham and Valencia would’ve been unimaginable in the same sentence. Now the two teams are vying to sign the same player in the upcoming summer transfer window.
For teams in the English Football League, the summer transfer window opens on June 1st. It leaves Phil Parkinson with little over a week to potentially get some early summer signings lined up at the Racecourse.
Wrexham are linked with several players already this summer. There’s some big names being mentioned too, highlighting just how far Wrexham have come under owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney after three-straight promotions.
Midfield seems like an area Parkinson is particularly keen to strengthen. Tom Cairney is among the names linked, along with Nottingham Forest’s Lewis O’Brien.
Valencia join Wrexham and Swansea City in race to sign Lewis O’Brien
O’Brien, 26, has spent the second half of the 2024/25 season on loan with Swansea City. He featured 16 times in the Championship for the Swans who eventually finished in 11th place of the table, and they’re keen to make O’Brien a permanent player with his Nottingham Forest contract expiring in 2026.
A rumoured transfer target for Wrexham too, the two Welsh rivals are now facing competition from Valencia for the signing of O’Brien this summer. Spanish outlet El Desmarque report that former Huddersfield Town boss Carlos Corberan is looking into re-signing his former Terriers midfielder at Valencia this summer.
Speaking earlier in the year, O’Brien suggested he wants to join Swansea City on a permanent deal this summer, having enjoyed his time at the club following a tough spell at the City Ground since his 2022 arrival.
The latest on Wrexham’s search for a new midfielder
The midfield department at Wrexham looks set to undergo some drastic changes this summer.
Wrexham have offered Cairney a contract, per reports, and it could see him become the club’s highest-paid player ever on £50,000-a-week.
Tom Lawrence is another target, and on Tuesday Rangers confirmed that Lawrence will be released this summer, with a move to hometown team Wrexham certainly on the cards for the former Welsh international.
Other midfielders linked so far this summer include Charlie Savage, along with the more attacking-minded midfielders like Cardiff City duo Ollie Tanner and Isaak Davies.