Wrexham immediately move for Man City player after suffering late transfer setback

Football has a way of creating stories that feel like movies, and when Wrexham AFC is involved, the drama always seems bigger, louder, and brighter. The small Welsh club, once fighting for survival in the National League, is now living inside a fairytale, climbing from the depths of non-league football into the Championship in just three seasons. And as always, their co-owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney are not just watching the script—they are writing it.

This summer has been another chapter in the Wrexham story that feels almost too good to be true. From blockbuster signings to breaking their own transfer records, Wrexham have behaved not like a newly promoted Championship side, but like a club dreaming of the Premier League. And yet, just when they thought their squad-building was complete, they suffered a late setback in the transfer window. But instead of folding, instead of sulking, Wrexham did what Hollywood-backed Wrexham always do—they found another twist. And this twist has taken them straight back to Manchester City.

The story began when Wrexham identified Jordan James, the young midfielder from Rennes, as the final piece of their puzzle. The plan was set. James was supposed to arrive, wear the red shirt, and become part of Phil Parkinson’s system. But football transfers are never straightforward, and just when Wrexham thought the deal was close, Leicester City swooped in and stole him away. It was a blow, a painful reminder that the Championship is full of sharks waiting to strike.

For many clubs, that might have been the end. But not Wrexham. Not a club with Hollywood money, Hollywood vision, and Hollywood ambition. Within hours, reports broke that they had immediately turned their attention elsewhere—and not just anywhere, but to the Etihad Stadium. Wrexham had already done business with Manchester City this summer, signing centre-back Callum Doyle for £7.5 million, a huge fee for a club of their size. Now, they were preparing to bring in another City player, this time on loan.

The target? Issa Kabore, the 24-year-old right wing-back from Burkina Faso. A player who belongs to Manchester City but has never played a single senior match for them. Instead, his career has been a carousel of loan moves—Mechelen, Troyes, Marseille, Luton Town, Benfica, Werder Bremen. And yet, despite never settling, Kabore has gathered something many players dream of: experience. He has played in Europe, played in the Premier League, and represented his country 49 times. For Wrexham, Kabore represents exactly what they need—pace, power, and versatility down the right in Parkinson’s preferred wing-back system.

The deal, according to reports, is close. Wrexham will take him on loan, giving Kabore another chance to prove himself in England and giving the Dragons another weapon as they fight to survive, and maybe even thrive, in the Championship.

But Kabore is not the only name on the Wrexham shopping list. On deadline day, they had reportedly targeted three arrivals. One of them was Jordan James, who slipped away. Another is Kabore, who looks close to arriving. The third? Blackburn Rovers defender Dominic Hyam. Wrexham had already tried, and failed, to sign Zak Vyner from Bristol City, but they are refusing to give up. Multiple bids have gone in for Hyam, and there is “increasing confidence” that a deal can still be struck before the window shuts.

For a club that was playing National League football just three years ago, this level of activity is astonishing. Eleven signings have already arrived at the SToK Racecourse Ground. Names like Josh Windass, Conor Coady, Kieffer Moore, Nathan Broadhead, and Ben Sheaf—players with pedigree, players with experience, players who know the Championship. Wrexham have spent big, broken records, and shocked their rivals. And now, even after a setback, they are still pushing forward.

The summer window has not just been busy—it has been defining. Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney are not content with survival. They are not here to just make up the numbers. They want Wrexham in the Premier League, and they are willing to back that dream with money, planning, and boldness. Every signing has been a message, every move a statement. The £6.5 million spent on Ben Sheaf was a record, but within days, they smashed that again with Callum Doyle. They are not afraid of ambition. They are not afraid of breaking barriers.l

And Kabore, if the deal goes through, will be another message. A player from Manchester City, one of the richest and most successful clubs in the world, coming to Wrexham. It is not just about ability—it is about what it represents. It tells the world that Wrexham are not the small club anymore. They are not the underdog. They are the club that can walk into Manchester City’s offices and walk out with players.

The timing of this move is also crucial. Wrexham just secured their first win of the season, away at Millwall. It was a victory that gave the fans belief, that told the players they belong in the Championship. Now, with reinforcements arriving, that belief is growing stronger. The fans, who once celebrated just surviving in the National League, are now dreaming of climbing again. The dream of the Premier League is no longer a fantasy—it is a destination.

For Kabore himself, this is a chance to finally stop drifting. Since signing for City in 2020, he has lived a life of constant change. New leagues, new countries, new managers, new teammates. From Belgium to France, from England to Portugal, from Germany back to England. And yet, he has shown flashes of quality everywhere he went. At Luton, he proved he could handle the Premier League. At Marseille, he showed his attacking instincts. For Burkina Faso, he became a leader. Now, at Wrexham, he has the chance to settle, to be part of something growing, something exciting.

For Wrexham fans, this deal is another dream moment. Just a few years ago, they were watching their club struggle in front of a few thousand fans, praying for survival. Now, they are seeing their team linked with players from Manchester City, players with international caps, players with top-flight experience. It is a transformation that still feels surreal.

The deadline day drama adds another layer to the story. Wrexham had started the day with three targets in mind. They knew it would be tough. They knew competition would be fierce. They lost Jordan James to Leicester, but they refused to let it derail them. Kabore is close. Hyam could still arrive. By the time the window shuts, Wrexham could have exactly what they wanted: three more players, three more tools, three more reasons to believe.

This is not just a transfer story. This is the story of a club rewriting its history. Every move Wrexham make now is about the future. Every deal is about climbing higher. Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney didn’t buy Wrexham to play safe. They bought Wrexham to dream. And with Kabore arriving from Manchester City, that dream takes another step forward.

The Stok Racecourse Ground is no longer a place for small dreams. It is a place where Hollywood ambition meets football reality. And with every passing day, that reality looks more like the Premier League.

For now, all eyes are on Kabore. The medical, the paperwork, the confirmation. Once it is done, Wrexham will have their man. Another Manchester City player, another statement, another twist in the fairytale.