Phil Parkinson believes Wrexham are far better equipped for another Championship campaign than they were heading into last season — and a series of high-profile pre-season friendlies against Premier League clubs will form a key part of that preparation.
The Red Dragons are set to face Manchester United, Leeds United, Liverpool, and Sunderland across two countries this summer, continuing a trend of glamour warm-up fixtures that Parkinson describes as "part and parcel" of life at the club since its Hollywood takeover in 2021.
Slow start cost Wrexham last season
Wrexham finished seventh in 2025-26 — their first season in the Championship since 1982 — narrowly missing out on the play-offs last May. Their campaign was hampered by a sluggish opening run: just 10 points from their first 10 matches.
Parkinson attributes that rocky start to the upheaval caused by 13 signings in the summer of 2025, the most disruptive transfer window of his tenure. With players arriving throughout pre-season and into the early weeks of the campaign, cohesion took time to develop.
"I feel with us that we have improvement in the group because a lot of the lads came in late and it took us a while to get to know them individually and to work with them collectively," Parkinson said.
Among those he highlighted were Lewis O'Brien, Ben Sheaf, Josh Windass, Liberato Cacace, Nathan Broadhead, and Kieffer Moore — senior players who missed large portions of pre-season last year but who are now fully integrated ahead of the new campaign.
"To have that group together I think is going to give us huge benefit," he added.
A more settled squad takes the field
Wrexham began their summer preparations with a goalless draw against Wisla Krakow in Poland, watched by a crowd of 23,000. Parkinson rotated fully at half-time, fielding a different XI in each half, with several youngsters handed minutes as senior absentees were managed carefully.
The squad now travels to Helsinki to face Manchester United on Saturday before flying to the United States for fixtures against Leeds United in Tampa on 26 July, Liverpool in New York on 30 July, and Sunderland on 2 August.
Parkinson expects the American leg of the tour to make a strong impression on players who have not previously experienced the club's fanbase stateside.
"I think for all the new lads who have come in, to see what it's like over there and how much people love Wrexham in the US — I think they'll be surprised when they get out there," he said.
Fewer signings, higher expectations
The club is active in the current transfer window, though Parkinson indicated that any additions will be fewer and more targeted than last summer's overhaul. With a settled core already in place, the focus is on fine-tuning rather than rebuilding.
Parkinson was clear about the identity he wants Wrexham to project in the Championship this season. "We want to make sure we are an aggressive, attacking team who make our supporters, home and away, come away from games and think 'well, what a performance that is'," he said. "Sometimes that doesn't result in a win, but it's a full-out, committed performance."
