League One promotion winners Wrexham have secured the signing of Premier League Nottingham Forest midfielder Lewis O’Brien ahead of the start of the new Championship season.
Phil Parkinson’s side earned promotion last season, going up automatically after finishing in second place behind Birmingham City. This marked their third promotion in as many seasons as they progressed from the National League to the second tier of English Football.
Now the Hollywood-backed club face the daunting task of adjusting to life in one of the biggest and most watched leagues in Europe. They have made several signings to date including:
- Josh Windass
- Danny Ward
- Ryan Hardie
- George Thomason
- Liberato Cacace
But they have now added a further name with both Championship and Premier League pedigree.
Wrexham Announce Signing of Nottingham Forest Midfielder Lewis O’Brien
The club have now officially confirmed the signing of 26-year-old midfielder Lewis O’Brien for an undisclosed fee from Nottingham Forest. He has signed a contract until the end of the 2027/28 season.
O’Brien boasts 162 Championship appearances, as well as 13 Premier League and 30 in the MLS. He was part of the Huddersfield Town side that lost in the play-off final to Forest before ultimately joining the club.
| Club | Appearances |
| Huddersfield Town | 131 |
| Bradford City | 46 |
| Middlesbrough | 25 |
| D.C. United | 19 |
| LAFC | 18 |
| Nottingham Forest | 17 |
| Swansea City | 16 |
What has been said on the move by Wrexham and Lewis O’Brien?
Speaking to the club’s media O’Brien expressed his delight at the move
“I’m absolutely buzzing. It’s been a long time coming, but to be here is great.
“The last couple of years has been a whirlwind for me and my family, but to sign a long-term contract and find somewhere I can call home is a great feeling.
“After speaking to everyone here, it’s a Club with a lot of ambition. I want to be part of that journey, and take Wrexham to where they want to be.”
Phil Parkinson also welcomed him to the club:
“I’m delighted to welcome Lewis to the Club. He’s a player with a lot of experience at this level and will be a great addition to the group. We’re looking forward to working with him.”
Biggest Challenge Yet for Wrexham
The rapid rise of Wrexham has been nothing short of remarkable. Yet the steps between the National League and League Two and League Two and League One are arguably far smaller than the step they are in the process of taking.
The size of the clubs in the Championship dwarf that of the third tier, making the task of adjusting to the level of competition a difficult task for even the most steady of ships.
Phil Parkinson does have experience, and the club do have pulling power and ambition as well as a reasonable income to back their pursuit of the promised land of the Premier League. But fighting against clubs with parachute payments and fanbases far larger than the Welsh side will make it much more level footing than those in the National League just a couple of seasons ago.