Wrexham

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Josh Windass will miss Wrexham's Championship opener at Cardiff City on Monday (20:00 BST) due to injury.

The forward was his side's top scorer last season with 17 goals across all competitions.

But he has not featured at all during pre-season and was also absent for the 1-0 loss to Middlesbrough in the first round of the Carabao Cup on Friday.

Phil Parkinson confirmed that midfielder Ben Sheaf and left wing-back Liberato Cacace are progressing well and will be assessed before the contest with the Bluebirds.

"Josh, no, he's still a bit behind Sheafo. Sheafo's had a block of training in pre-season so he hasn't missed the whole of pre-season like Josh but he's getting there," said the Wrexham manager.

"Libby's only missed four or five days really, maybe a touch longer than that so it was more of a fatigue-related injury. Hopefully it's nothing more than that and he'll be back in contention."

Elsewhere, Max Cleworth stepped up his return to full fitness against Wigan Athletic in a behind-closed-doors friendly on Monday.

The centre-back has been carrying an Achilles problem but was joined by the likes of Aaron James, Dan Scarr, Ryan Longman, Ryan Barnett, George Dobson and new signing Ben Whiteman in gaining valuable game time in the 1-0 victory against the Latics.

Davis Keillor-Dunn - who operated in a front three with Bailey Cadamarteri and Harry Ashfield - netted the only goal of the contest.

"It was a really good workout," Parkinson said of the match.

"Often in those games it's getting the tempo and the intensity where you need it to make sure those lads are prepared and we were pleased with the physical data as well as the performance."

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Zak Vyner says the new Championship season feels like a "clean slate" given his injury issues after joining Wrexham during the winter window last term.

The 29-year-old moved to north Wales from Bristol City midway through the 2025-26 campaign but arrived at the Racecourse Ground with a toe injury.

Having broken into Phil Parkinson's side, Vyner then sustained a hamstring issue and missed the final five games of the Championship season.

But Vyner says he is eagerly awaiting the new league campaign after enjoying a first pre-season with the club.

"It's like a clean slate, I fresh feel and ready to go," he said.

"I came in and had a couple of injuries last season, which is abnormal for me anyway.

"So I was just dealing with that and then coming back in and playing in a somewhat unfamiliar position as well.

"But I'm feeling now that I'm ready, bedding in with the lads a little bit more and settling in to the place, setting in to everything at the football club, so I'm really looking forward to what the season has in store for me."

Vyner was deployed in midfield in the latter stages of last season as Wrexham lost the likes of Ben Sheaf and Matty James to injury and George Dobson to suspension.

But he operated in a back three during pre-season, and Vyner believes fans will see his best form now that he has reverted to his preferred role at centre-back.

"It's my most comfortable position, so I feel more at home there," he added.

"It doesn't say that if I have to play in centre-mid that I wouldn't do it or anything like that. I'd give 100% whenever I play on the pitch anywhere, up front, anywhere.

"But I feel more comfortable at centre-half, so hopefully we can see the best version of me there and hopefully that works for us."

Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson looks forward to their Monday night Championship opener at Cardiff City.

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George Thomason is targeting a fast start to the new league campaign following his and Wrexham's early struggles in the 2025-26 Championship season.

Thomason joined the Red Dragons from Phil Parkinson's former club Bolton Wanderers last summer but featured just once in Wrexham's opening 10 league games after sustaining a thigh injury.

"It's possibly the worst nightmare as a new signing to come in and get hit with a seven-week-ish injury," he said.

"You almost feel as though you've got another point to prove to your peers and then to the fans.

"So that was really tough, but I think as the season went on and I grew into the team and into new positions and things like that, I was really happy with how my season progressed and finished.

"I've come back in pre-season with the same hunger and desire to want to play well and be even better and I hope that aligns with us all as a squad. We want to go one further and have a really successful season."

Thomason was one of 13 senior signings made by Wrexham last summer on the back of their promotion from League One.

It took the new-look squad time to gel, with Wrexham picking up just four points from their opening five Championship matches last term.

But Parkinson's men settled and ended the campaign in seventh place in the second tier - the club's highest-ever finish.

Thomason, 25, now hopes Wrexham - who start the new Championship campaign at Cardiff City on Monday (20:00 BST) - are better equipped to hit the ground running from the outset this season.

"This time last year there was a lot of change and a lot of new faces coming in, whereas there's been a bit more continuity this time around," he added.

"I think we all have a good feel for each other and not only know each other on the pitch, but have an idea of what everyone's personalities and characteristics are like.

"So I think that can only really benefit us. I think we're all really looking forward to the season."

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After the season started with an EFL Cup defeat by Middlesbrough, we asked Wrexham fans about their hopes for the season and what Phil Parkinson needs to add before the Championship season which opens at Cardiff City on Monday.

Here is what some of you had to say:

Andrew: Pre-season went well and certainly believe we are in a better position going in to our second Championship season. Still believe we need to sign a striker and natural goal scorer. Fans should be excited and more optimistic about challenging for automatic promotion to the Premier League than last year. That said, Parky needs to move some squad players on and complete the remaining key signings with a goalkeeper to add to the striker and a central defender.

Chris: The team needs to be stronger defensively. The addition of a gritty superhero into the squad will give us the core strength we need to progress. Complement this someone with flair and expression up front to score goals and light up the support.

Elwyn: We need a forward. Defensively we are sound, but at present we do not seem to have an end product.

Peter: Wrexham played a faster game with more accuracy in their passing against Middlesbrough, a great improvement on last year. Looking to be a great improvement on the start of last year.

Mike: Imray looked good in both the games he's played but a lot of other players really didn't. We're lacking pace and quality all over the pitch, albeit we allegedly have a couple of signings to come. Hard to see who is going to create or score goals. This is going to be a much harder season than last. Finishing above halfway will be a major achievement.

Roberto: Wrexham need to sign decent centre half and a striker who can score 15 goals a season. I'd suggest an old head with proven quality on a one-year deal.

Wrexham started their season with a Carabao Cup defeat by fellow Championship promotion hopefuls Middlesbrough.

Phil Parkinson's side lost 1-0 after Will Lankshear's winner at Riverside Stadium, but the boss was content with the performance after limited training on the return from a pre-season tour to America.

Wrexham gave debuts to Danny Imray and Ben Whiteman, while they had chances in a close contest.

Who stood out in Middlesbrough?

What do the Red Dragons need to improve to get off to a winning start against Welsh rivals Cardiff City on Monday, 17 August (20:00 BST)?

Are there areas of the team that need strengthening in the final weeks of the transfer window?

Give us your views here.

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Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson hopes to ensure players such as Max Cleworth are physically ready for the Championship campaign by fielding them in a behind-closed-doors encounter with League One Wigan Athletic on Monday.

Their final warm-up before the league season follows Friday's 1-0 Carabao Cup first-round defeat at Middlesbrough.

Parkinson has been managing his squad's readiness for what lies ahead, with centre-back Cleworth, 23, among those to have their fitness levels closely monitored.

"We'll play a strong team behind closed doors on Monday. Max Cleworth, for example, had an Achilles problem that meant he was slow to get going in pre-season and he needs to start on Monday, and there are others like that who need some game time," Parkinson told Wrexham's website.

He believes his players will have benefited physically from the Middlesbrough encounter.

Parkinson added: "It was always going to be a test for us, and we've had to manage some of the players' minutes – that was pre-decided – but we'll get them back and have a good week now.

"We got the two new lads [Danny Imray and Ben Whiteman] some minutes, which is important."

Wrexham head to Welsh rivals Cardiff City on Monday, 17 August in their Championship opener (20:00 BST).

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Phil Parkinson was disappointed to have been edged out of the Carabao Cup at Middlesbrough on Friday night at the first hurdle, but was pleased with the performance given limited preparation time after their pre-season tour.

Will Lankshear's excellent strike midway through the second half at the Riverside Stadium proved enough for the hosts to progress to the second round.

"I thought we had enough chances, particularly first half, to have progressed in the competition," Parkinson told the Wrexham website after the game.

"The game has been settled really by one quality finish from their lad [Lankshear]. We had some great build-up play, some good moments, but we didn't quite have that clinical edge that you need.

"That was a big ask, as I've said before. To come back on Monday from America, and to have trained very little, and then to have come here and go very close – of course you always want to go through, but you have to give the lads credit and there's positives in the performance.

"In any game of football, it's separated by those moments. I felt we had enough. We sunk a bit at times, but so did they – we just couldn't find the moment but there were a lot of positives for us."

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Phil Parkinson believes Middlesbrough's summer transfer business so far shows Kim Hellberg's side are intent on being as competitive as possible this season.

Boro narrowly missed out on promotion to the Premier League after losing 1-0 to Hull City in the Championship play-off final at Wembley in May.

Hayden Hackney, last season's English Football League Championship player of the season, was sold to Everton for a base fee of at least £16m.

Boro are also expected to bank at least £20.4m for Morgan Rogers' switch from Aston Villa to Chelsea as a result of a sell-on clause they had following his move to Villa Park in 2024.

They have heavily reinvested in their squad as Hellberg (pictured above) prepares for his first full season at the club, with Jeremy Sarmiento, Myles Peart-Harris, Kyle Joseph, Will Lankshear, Sebastian Berhalter and Max Arfsten among those to make the move to Boro this summer.

"They've spent quite a bit, but obviously they've brought a lot in for Hackney and they've got a sell-on clause as well for Rogers, so they've brought in money," said Parkinson.

"But obviously they're looking to spend it and make themselves competitive again.

"I think they're like us. They know the demands of the division and they're trying to create a squad to be competitive like we are."

The duo meet at Riverside Stadium in the opening round of the EFL Cup tonight (20:00 BST).

Wrexham drew 1-1 with Middlesbrough in the first meeting between the sides in the past season.

The reverse fixture at the Racecourse Ground on the final day of the regular season also finished level, a 2-2 draw ending the Red Dragons' play-off hopes.

Midfielder George Thomason - a regular at left wing-back last season - believes his side have already demonstrated they are more than a match for Boro.

"We know they're a very possession-based team, so we're under no illusions that it's going to be a tough game," said the 25-year-old.

"They're still going to want to get into their rhythm and flow, but we know we matched them both home and away last year, they were both really tight games.

"So I expect it to be another one and we'll go out there, do our best to win and give them a good game."

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Josh Windass and Ben Sheaf are unavailable for Wrexham's Carabao Cup first round encounter with Middlesbrough at Riverside Stadium on Friday night (20:00 BST).

Forward Windass - who netted 17 goals across all competitions in his debut campaign with the Red Dragons last term - did not feature in any of Wrexham's pre-season friendlies due to a calf issue.

Midfielder Sheaf was also a notable absentee for his side's summer fixtures against Wisla Krakow, Manchester United, Leeds United, Liverpool and Sunderland.

"Josh is still not where he needs to be yet, which is frustrating for us," said manager Phil Parkinson.

"Sheafo is making decent progress.

"(We have) One or two other little niggles from the Sunderland game, we've just had to take a couple of people out of training.

"I think that's just an accumulation of the travelling and playing in very hot conditions, so there's a couple of things we've just got to monitor in the next seven days or so, but nothing serious."

Summer signings Danny Imray and Ben Whiteman are in contention to feature against Kim Hellberg's side in the north east of England.

"They're both travelling," Parkinson said of the new recruits.

"The selection for this game, a lot of factors are going to come into play in terms of who's recovered the best out of the group and who the sports science and medical team feel are ready.

"Alongside obviously the football side of it, it's about picking the right balance in the side.

"It's a long season ahead and we'll hopefully get the selection right and give ourselves the best chance of progressing into the next round."