Wrexham Close In On Club Record Deal For Empoli's Cacace

Wrexham are group to break their transportation grounds to motion New Zealand left-back Liberato Cacace from Italian broadside Empoli.

The 24-year-old has a twelvemonth near connected his statement astatine Empoli, who were relegated from Serie A past season.

He is group to go nan astir costly signing successful history for Championship newcomers Wrexham, who collapsed nan £1m obstruction for nan first clip past season to motion striker Sam Smith from Reading.

Cacace, who has won 33 caps for New Zealand, is poised to go Wrexham's 3rd signing of this summertime pursuing 3 successive promotions.

Phil Parkinson's broadside person truthful acold added Wales goalkeeper Danny Ward and erstwhile Plymouth Argyle guardant Ryan Hardie arsenic they embark connected a first play successful England's 2nd tier for 43 years.

Wrexham are successful New Zealand to play Wellington Phoenix, Cacace's first club, successful a pre-season friends connected Saturday.

Cacace, who was calved successful Wellington to an Italian begetter and a New Zealand mother of Italian descent, is chiefly a left-back but tin besides run further forward.

He has a twelvemonth remaining connected his Empoli statement having played 93 games since heading to Italian shot successful 2022.

Cacace has been linked pinch a move distant pursuing nan club's relegation from Serie A, pinch Parkinson admitting nan wing-back fits nan type of subordinate he is keen to onshore earlier nan opening crippled of nan caller play against Southampton connected 9 August.

Parkinson adding: "It's important pinch nan section we're going into to look astatine each markets for players, and it was a position we were looking astatine - nan floor plan of nan subordinate who is young and quiet and wants to amended and beryllium portion of this unthinkable travel we're connected arsenic a shot club."

Wrexham look Cacace's erstwhile nine Wellington connected Saturday (06.00BST) earlier returning to northbound Wales to proceed pre-season.

But Parkinson faces a further hold complete nan fittingness of midfielder Ollie Rathbone who suffered an ankle wounded successful nan conclusion by Sydney FC.

An X-ray has shown nary break but Wrexham are now waiting for results of scans, pinch nan subordinate group to stay successful a protective footwear for nan adjacent 2 weeks earlier further assessment.

Meanwhile, striker Jack Marriott will person his return to nan UK delayed aft he fell sick and required room to region his appendix.

Fellow striker Smith has not featured truthful acold connected nan circuit arsenic he recovers from an unspecified issue, though Andy Cannon (ACL) and Mo Faal (thigh) person some resumed training aft semipermanent injuries during nan circuit that besides saw Wrexham hit Melbourne Victory.

Crowds of astir 40,000 watched Wrexham successful their first 2 fixtures, pinch section estimations of 25,000 expected to beryllium successful attendance for Saturday's crippled astatine nan Sky Stadium.