Wrexham have secured the signing of 26-year-old midfielder Lewis O’Brien, who has successfully completed his medical and agreed to a three-year contract.
The Nottingham Forest midfielder is to join the Red Dragons in a permanent deal as Phil Parkinson continues to strengthen his squad for the club’s return to the Championship.
O’Brien spent the 2024/25 season out on loan – first with LAFC in Major League Soccer, before returning to the EFL in January with Swansea City. He made 34 appearances in total across both stints, scoring once for each club and recording a single assist during his time in California.
Despite signing for Forest in 2022 from Huddersfield Town in a reported £10m deal, O’Brien has struggled for minutes at the City Ground. He featured just 17 times for the Premier League side and has spent the majority of the past two seasons out on loan, with stints at D.C. United, LAFC, and Swansea.
Now set for a permanent exit, O’Brien becomes the latest high-profile addition to a Wrexham side determined to make an impact in the second tier. He follows in the footsteps of fellow summer signings Josh Windass and Liberato Cacace, as the club continues its ambitious rebuild under the ownership of Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.
A proven Championship operator
O’Brien brings a wealth of Championship pedigree to the Racecourse Ground. A product of Huddersfield Town’s academy, he played a pivotal role in their 2021/22 campaign that saw them reach the play-off final, only to fall short against Nottingham Forest — the very club he would later join.
His energy, composure in possession, and tactical intelligence make him a versatile midfield option capable of operating as a deep-lying playmaker, box-to-box engine, or advanced number ten.
Parkinson is believed to be targeting players with top-end EFL experience to ease the club’s transition, and O’Brien’s arrival certainly fits that brief.
Key FotMob Stats – 2024/25 Season (Swansea + LAFC):
• 34 appearances
• 2 goals, 1 assist
• 2,162 minutes played
• 83.1% pass accuracy
• 1.1 key passes per game
• 1.7 tackles per game
• 5.5 duels won per game
• 6.70 average match rating
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