Wrexham has allegedly shattered their transfer record by acquiring a versatile left-sided player with experience in Serie A, as per reports.
Wrexham is presently gearing up for the Championship and aims to achieve a fourth consecutive promotion in the 2025/26 season.
In anticipation of the upcoming campaign, the Red Dragons are undergoing significant changes this summer.
In May, the club announced the release of eight players, which included former Premier League striker Steven Fletcher. Meanwhile, fan favorite Paul Mullin has been loaned to League One team Wigan Athletic.
Regarding new signings, the club, owned by North American actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, has conducted its business quietly, bringing in only two players this summer: former Liverpool goalkeeper Danny Ward and Plymouth forward Ryan Hardie. This is despite the North Wales club being associated with Premier League-level players, including free agents Aaron Cresswell and Jamie Vardy.
However, a New Zealand international with Serie A experience may soon be showcasing his skills at the Racecourse Ground.
On Wednesday, Italian journalist Gianluca Di Marzio reported that “Liberato Cacace’s transfer to Wrexham is finalized,” with a fee estimated at “€2.5 million (£2.2m) plus bonuses.” This amount is approximately €100,000 more than the €2.4m (£2.1m) that the Red Dragons paid for Sam Smith when he transferred from Reading in January 2025.
Cacace, a 24-year-old left-back/winger, developed his skills at Island Bay United before moving to Wellington Phoenix in 2016. He subsequently signed with Belgian club Sint-Truidense in 2020 before making a transfer to the Italy-based Empoli in 2022.
The 24-year-old, who has represented New Zealand 33 times, scored two goals and provided four assists for the Italian club during the 2024/25 season as Empoli faced relegation to Serie B. Ironically, Wrexham is set to compete against Cacace’s previous team, Wellington Phoenix, in New Zealand on July 19. The Red Dragons triumphed over Melbourne Victory with a score of 3-0 on July 11 but suffered a 2-1 defeat against Sydney FC on July 15.
Why is Wrexham touring New Zealand and Australia?
Phil Parkinson and his team are currently approximately 10,000 miles away from North Wales as they proceed with their pre-season tour in Australia and New Zealand.
Over the last two years, Wrexham has toured North America due to the increased popularity of the club in that region following the investment by Reynolds and McElhenney in 2021. So, what prompted their decision to visit Australasia instead?” From the outset, our goal was to establish Wrexham as a globally recognized team, town, and brand.
We are thrilled to bring the Red Dragons to Australia and New Zealand, and we take particular pride in the fact that this announcement does not include any jokes about Men at Work or Hugh Jackman,” stated the co-owners during the tour announcement.