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Wrexham star Eoghan O'Connell has revealed he nearly pursued a career in Gaelic football instead of football.

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• O'Connell began his career at Celtic
• Wrexham star is now 10 years into playing
• Could have pursued Gaelic Football instead

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The 29-year-old began his career at Celtic in 2014 and is now 10 years into playing professional football. But it could have been very different if the former Republic of Ireland under-21 international had continued to press ahead with the famous Irish sport.

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  WHAT EOGHAN O'CONNELL SAID

  He told SportsBoom: “I never played rugby when I was younger, but I played Gaelic football and hurling. I had to make the choice about which sport I wanted to progress in and I picked football. I wouldn’t say that was always the case when I was younger though. I was always more of a Gaelic player in my head if I’m honest. The way it worked up, Celtic were the first club I ever went on trial with and I ended up signing there. It was quite a quick process. It was a pretty quick decision. I went over to Scotland to give it my best shot. I’ve obviously moved on from there, but 15 years later I’m still playing so it’s been a bit of a ride."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  If the defender didn't get into football, he would never have played for Celtic, Charlton Athletic or helped Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds' Wrexham secure back-to-back promotions out of the Nations League. And yet more success could be on the way as the Red Dragons aim to get out of League One at the first time of asking.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  O'Connell's Wrexham, who sit second in League One after playing 10 matches this season, travel to mid-table Rotherham United on Saturday, before hosting Huddersfield Town next Tuesday.

They might have come agonizingly close to winning the Premier League for a second successive season this year, but it was another season of improvements for Arsenal.

Mikel Arteta's side picked up the most wins an Arsenal team have ever had in a Premier League season, scored the second-highest number of goals and boasted the best defence in the league.

However, while the majority of the Spaniard's stars took another step forward, a few didn't, or worse yet, took a step back.

Unfortunately, Gabriel Martinelli was one of them, and based on recent reports, his poor form could cost him his place in the team.

Gabriel Martinelli's season in numbers

The former Ituano gem came into 2023/24 off the back of his most impressive campaign to date, scoring 15 goals and providing six assists in 46 games for the Gunners as they sprung an unexpected and impressive title challenge for the first time in a very long time.

However, while he was seen as practically undroppable for his serious output last year, Martinelli struggled to hold down a place in Arteta's side this season due in part to injuries, poor form, and Leandro Trossard's goalscoring prowess.

In 44 games this year, the Brazilian scored just eight goals and provided five assists, and while those aren't dreadful numbers by any stretch of the imagination, they are a step back from what he showed he was capable of in 2022/23.

In his defence, he missed eight games through injury compared to just three last season, but that is about all you can say for the 22-year-old when Trossard managed to score 17 goals and provide two assists in just two more appearances.

In all, it was a campaign to forget for the Guarulhos-born star, and with Arteta looking to improve the squad this summer, his place in the starting XI next season could be under threat.

The player who could replace Martinelli

There have already been several wingers linked to Arsenal over the last few months, such as Athletic Bilbao's Nico Williams, Wolverhampton Wanderers' Pedro Neto and even Manchester United's Marcus Rashford. However, the latest name touted for a move to N5 is someone a lot less familiar to Premier League fans: Girona's Viktor Tsyhankov.

According to reports out of Spain, the Gunners are one of several sides interested in signing the winger this summer and stand a good chance of doing so as his contract includes a 'termination' clause worth €30m, which is around £26m.

Moreover, the player himself is said to view the Emirates as a great place for him to develop alongside the young and exciting squad.

The Ukrainian international enjoyed a brilliant campaign with the Catalan club this season, racking up eight goals and seven assists in just 34 games, meaning he averaged a goal involvement every 2.2 games – significantly better than Martinelli's average of a goal involvement every 3.3 games.

Described as a winger whose "left foot is a weapon" by Scouted, the Nahariya-born ace has primarily played on the right in recent seasons.

However, he's started 24 games on the left wing and four games on the left of midfield for his club and of his 52 national team appearances, 24 have come as a left-winger. So, while he hasn't started there this season, he's clearly someone who could thrive there and get the most out of his unreal left foot.

However, while his raw output was superior to the Brazilians this year, how does he stack up to the Arsenal man when looking at their underlying numbers?

Well, it's not a landslide victory, but the former Dynamo Kyiv ace comes out on top in most metrics, including assists, non-penalty goals, progressive passes, goals per shot, passing accuracy and goal-creating actions, all per 90.

Ultimately, while Martinelli is still an incredibly talented player, bringing in a player like Tsyhankov seems like an intelligent move, as the worst-case scenario for him is that he develops into the Brazilian's backup in a title-challenging team, and the best case is that he becomes the starting left-winger.

Chelsea chiefs have identified a new top transfer target who they think has the ideal profile for Enzo Maresca, coming as a deal for Aston Villa striker Jhon Duran appears less likely now.

Chelsea hold Duran talks but stall over Villa deal

The west Londoners have been in club-to-club talks over a deal for the 20-year-old for this last week, as backed by multiple reliable outlets in the media, with Duran said to be very keen on a move to Chelsea.

"Special" £40 million ace wants to join Chelsea and partner Nicolas Jackson

He thinks he’d be perfect for Maresca.

By
Emilio Galantini

Jun 18, 2024

The young Villa marksman scored just eight goals across 37 appearances in all competitions under Unai Emery last season, and struggled with continuous injury problems throughout 2023/2024.

This has resulted in criticism towards Chelsea over considering a move for Duran, with there being a danger of co-Chelsea sporting directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley taking another risk on a raw but largely unproven talent at Stamford Bridge.

Villa are also demanding around £40 million for Duran, and while advanced talks over a deal have been ongoing, Chelsea are now hesitating to formally sign-off on the move as they consider alternatives as well.

Reliable Chelsea journalist Simon Phillips also claimed onTuesday that Chelsea are prepared to walk away from a move for Duran, even if there is still a chance this deal gets done.

"SPTC sources have heard Chelsea are ‘preparing’ to walk away from the deal, perhaps putting pressure on Villa to reduce their asking price for him," wrote Phillips on his Substack (via Tribuna).

"As of last night, talks had continued yesterday, and I do believe talks will continue again today. There is still every chance this deal gets done, but it will need one side to fold on their stance. Villa are not only asking for £40m for Duran, but they are also asking for too much of the fee up front.

"SPTC sources have now heard Chelsea could soon walk away from this one and turn attentions elsewhere. Chelsea have been speaking internally on other options they could go for this week."

Chelsea identify £85 million Duran alternative in Lois Openda

According to TEAMtalk, who themselves suggest the Blues have actually already abandoned the Duran deal, Chelsea are taking a real liking to Euro 2024 star Lois Openda.

The RB Leipzig striker bagged 28 goals in all competitions last season, averaging one every 124 minutes, with the Bundesliga slapping a reported £85 million price tag on his head this summer.

His contract includes a £70 million release clause which won't become active until 2025, so it will take a sizeable sum to convince Leipzig to do a deal this year. Chelsea have identified Openda as a new top transfer target for Maresca, as they believe he has the ideal profile for their new head coach.

The 24-year-old's record will be enticing to supporters who wish to see a prolific new frontman, but it remains to be seen how much Chelsea are willing to pay for Openda.

Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk has praised William Saliba and admitted that he was "nowhere near" the level of the Arsenal star at the same age.

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• Van Dijk complimentary of Saliba
• Claims he wasn't as good at his age
• Believes Frenchman is one of the best centre-backs

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Saliba has often been labelled by Arsenal fans as the best centre-back in the Premier League, despite only being 23 years old. The Frenchman's playing style and stature has been compared to that of Liverpool captain Van Dijk, and the Dutchman has opened up on the Gunners star.

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• WHAT VAN DIJK SAID

  When asked about the centre-backs that impress him on the podcast, Van Dijk said: "Obviously, Saliba's making very good steps at the moment. He's the first one I just have in mind now. He's a solid one. I think in possession, he's doing a good job.

  "I think, if I'm honest, when I was that age, I was nowhere near where he was today. Obviously, that's the beauty of football as well, I like to watch other defenders and pick up so many stuff from them. There are so many good ball players and centre halves. When you watch the game, I definitely watch games, especially on the highest level, you can always pick up certain things.

  "But I also have in mind that teams are defending in a different way than we are defending, so you have to keep that in mind too. I think, especially in ball possession, the way you position yourself, because obviously we are a team that has the ball a lot. I play on the left side as a right footer, centre-half, obviously for many years. Sometimes it's good to pick up the positioning of certain players and what they do. I feel like, at any age, you can keep learning and I definitely still do that."

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  At the age as Saliba is at the moment, Van Dijk, now 33, had been plying his trade at Celtic shortly before moving to Southampton in 2016. In 2018, the Dutchman then made the big-money £75 million move to Anfield. He is now edging towards the tail end of his career and will be considered one of the best centre-backs in the history of the Premier League having led the Reds to a the title in 2020 and the Champions League a year prior in 2019, after which he just lost out on the Ballon d'Or to Lionel Messi.

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• WHAT NEXT FOR VAN DIJK AND SALIBA?

  The two centre-backs' form will be crucial for Liverpool and Arsenal as the two sides battle for the Premier League title. Van Dijk will be in action next when the Reds take on Brighton on Saturday, while Saliba's Gunners travel to Newcastle in the early kick-off.

Tottenham have offered Richarlison in a player-plus-cash bid to sign one very highly-rated star this summer, coming as the former Everton star is tipped to potentially be sold in the coming weeks.

Spurs could sell Richarlison despite good form last season

The Brazil international endured a torrid debut campaign at N17 under former manager Antonio Conte, but did manage to display flashes of his best during Ange Postecoglou's first season in charge.

£25 million attacker who Ange personally wants has agreed to join Tottenham

The Lilywhites could be on the verge of a second summer signing.

1

By
Emilio Galantini

Jun 26, 2024

The 27-year-old, during a mid-season purple patch, scored nine goals in eight Premier League games from the middle of December to early February – displayed his best form in a Lilywhites jersey by quite some distance and attracting real praise.

“What I want is for Richy to keep improving, and keep developing his football and becoming a real force for us and we’ll see where that takes us," said Postecoglou on Richarlison earlier this year.

“Because as this year alone has shown us, whatever plans or designs I had about which kind of formation I was going to play and which players were going to play a part in that, that pretty much went out the window after the first 15 minutes at Brentford when [Cristian] Romero gets concussion and I’ve got to make a change.

“I’ve never thought in those terms. For me, it’s about trying to get players to fulfill their potential and with Richy I still think there is growth there. If it keeps growing, well, we the football club will be the beneficiaries of it.”

However, despite some glimpses of his real potential, doubts still linger over his suitability to lead the line moving forward. Richarlison has attracted interest from Saudi Arabia, according to some reports, and it is believed Tottenham are open to selling for the right offer.

Spurs are also targeting a world-class replacement for Kane this summer, plunging Richarlison's future into further doubt, as any incoming forward would surely put the South American further down Postecoglou's pecking order.

Tottenham offer Richarlison plus cash for Alexander Isak

Now, according to Sky Sports Italia reporter and transfer expert Gianluca Di Marzio, it appears Spurs have attempted to kill two birds with one stone as they make a proposal for Newcastle United star Alexander Isak.

Indeed, Di Marzio writes this week that Tottenham have made a player-plus-cash bid for Isak which includes Richarlison. The £120,000-per-week Sweden international scored 25 goals in all competitions for the Magpies last season, so Eddie Howe's side are understandably reluctant to accept Spurs' offer, despite some pressure to sell players due to PSR.

Bringing Isak to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and getting Richarlison's £90,000-per-week salary off the books, could've been a masterful move by chairman Daniel Levy – but it appears they may have to return with an improved offer.

Mikel Arteta must leave Raheem Sterling behind in north London as he will not be available for Arsenal's trip to Chelsea.

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• Sterling on loan at Arsenal from Chelsea
• PL rules prevent loanees playing against parent club
• Does not have a buy-clause in his Arsenal contract

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Sterling’s late-summer transfer to Arsenal was not on the cards and yet the Gunners swooped in at the death and beat Manchester United to the race for his signature. They acquired Sterling without paying any loan fee, an arrangement that has also allowed them to share only a portion of his substantial wages as they are covering less than half of Sterling’s £325,000 weekly salary, with Chelsea continuing to shoulder the majority of his contract costs.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  However, Sterling is prohibited from playing against Chelsea due to Premier League rules. The league’s regulations restrict loaned players from participating in matches against the parent club, which means that the forward will be sidelined for the Gunners’ trip across London.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Sterling’s contributions have been limited thus far. Largely finding himself on the periphery of Arteta’s line-up, the 29-year-old has managed only four appearances in the Premier League, clocking a total of 123 minutes. While he has started in the Carabao Cup, his two goal contributions came against League One side Bolton Wanderers, underscoring his struggle to reclaim his once-formidable form.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR ARSENAL?

  Sterling’s absence is not the only worry for Arteta ahead of Sunday’s clash, as Arsenal’s squad has been hit by a series of injuries to key players. Kai Havertz and Mikel Merino, both central to Arsenal’s midfield operations, are currently doubts due to recent head injuries. Declan Rice, another indispensable member of Arteta’s squad, presents an even greater concern. Nursing a foot injury, the England international’s availability remains uncertain, which could significantly impact Arsenal’s midfield control and physical presence. Meanwhile, defenders Riccardo Calafiori, Takehiro Tomiyasu, and Kieran Tierney are expected to be sidelined until after the upcoming international break.

Frida Maanum and Stina Blackstenius joined the Lionesses striker on the scoresheet as the visitors finally won back-to-back WSL games

When the north London derby came to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last year, it was an historic day for the hosts. Martha Thomas' goal secured a first-ever win over Arsenal for Spurs, and there were several Gunners who returned to the scene of that miserable afternoon on Saturday who must have shuddered at the memories brought back. But any fears of a similarly disappointing result were alleviated with little more than 60 seconds played, as Alessia Russo's early goal helped kickstart an important 3-0 victory for Arsenal – securing back-to-back wins in the Women's Super League for the first time this season.

It's been a tough start to the campaign for the Gunners, with Jonas Eidevall resigning from his head coach role last month after a string of poor results. However, interim boss Renee Slegers has helped steady the ship, with this a fourth win in five games under her charge. Included in that revival has been a fantastic run of form for Russo, who didn't score in any of Arsenal's first five WSL games. On Saturday, she bagged her third goal in her last three league outings to break the deadlock inside two minutes.

When Frida Maanum doubled that lead 20 minutes later, it put the visitors in firm control of proceedings, a status they held for the majority of the game. There were flashes from Spurs, most notably when Beth England forced Daphne van Domselaar into a good save from range, but not enough to really trouble the Gunners and get back into a game that was all-but-over when Stina Blackstenius came off the bench to add a third just past the hour.

GOAL rates Arsenal's players from the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium…

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  Goalkeeper & Defence

  Daphne van Domselaar (6/10):

  A few iffy moments in possession but kept out all that Spurs threw at her.

  Emily Fox (7/10):

  Got forward well to be a real asset in attack.

  Leah Williamson (8/10):

  After some rocky recent form, she looked much more like herself here, both in possession and defensively.

  Steph Catley (7/10):

  Really solid display. Didn't do much wrong at all.

  Katie McCabe (6/10):

  Not perfect in defence but grew into a particularly influential player in attack as the game progressed.

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  Midfield

  Lia Walti (7/10):

  Kept things ticking over nicely at the base of the midfield, without stealing the show.

  Kim Little (7/10):

  Had a strong influence on the attack and was often involved in Arsenal's best play, before being subbed off at the break.

  Frida Maanum (8/10):

  Really positive performance, with numerous chances created and a great goal scored.

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  Attack

  Caitlin Foord (6/10):

  Had a few nice moments but was kept relatively quiet before going off just past the hour.

  Alessia Russo (8/10):

  Took her goal brilliantly and that set the done for a great display, which included some fantastic movement and nice involvement in build-up play.

  Mariona Caldentey (7/10):

  Always kept Spurs on their toes with her ability to dance past defenders and get into good positions. Sublime touch to set up Blackstenius for her goal.

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  Subs & Manager

  Kyra Cooney-Cross (6/10):

  Settled into the game nicely after coming on at half time, with some tidy and creative contributions in possession.

  Beth Mead (5/10):

  Couldn't really get involved much despite having around half an hour to do so.

  Stina Blackstenius (7/10):

  Had been on the pitch just two minutes when she made a great run and coupled it with a cool finish for 3-0.

  Rosa Kafaji (N/A):

  On in the closing stages to give Caldentey a deserved rest.

  Lotte Wubben-Moy (N/A):

  Made her return from injury in the final few minutes.

  Renee Slegers (8/10):

  Managed her substitutions well in the midweek win over Juventus and that paid dividends here, with Maanum and Russo among those who looked like they had benefited from not playing the full 90 minutes in Italy.

Despite suffering relegation to League One last term, Birmingham City clearly have no intentions of letting their new division limit their transfer activity as they eye moves for established Championship talents.

Blues braced for big summer window

If any of the St Andrews faithful feared that Birmingham's relegation would lead to a quiet summer, the Blues' early business would have quickly sought to put any worries to bed.

After May: Birmingham could boost promotion bid by signing 6ft3 "warrior"

Birmingham City will aim to take League One by storm with another ambitious addition.

By
Kelan Sarson

Jul 4, 2024

A goalkeeper was clearly high on the wishlist of new Blues boss Chris Davies with shot-stopping duo Ryan Allsop and Bailey Peacock-Farrell both moving to the West Midlands in the early passages of the window. With two established Championship keepers on the books at Birmingham, the club have now been able to move on to other targets.

The next star through the door at St Andrews was Emil Hansson, who joined the Blues in a move from Dutch outfit Heracles Almelo. At 26 years of age, the winger will be looking to make an instant impact in League One next season.

The signing that will likely elicit the most excitement from the Blues' fanbase is that of Alfie May. The 31-year-old arrives at St Andrews off the back of a season with Charlton that saw him score 27 goals in all competitions and finish as League One's top scorer.

With the Blues not afraid of going shopping in the second tier, the club are now eyeing a move for a midfielder from a Championship side.

Blues register interest in Stoke City star

As first reported by Birmingham Live, the Blues have shown an interest in signing Stoke City midfielder Josh Laurent. The outlet claims that Stoke may be willing to part ways with their captain this summer with Laurent entering the final 12 months of his current deal at the club.

The report states that Birmingham are in the market for a new midfielder this summer and view Laurent as an experienced option. With 282 EFL appearances under his belt, there is no doubt that the 29-year-old could be an excellent addition to Davies' team.

Laurent made 40 appearances for the Potters in all competitions last season, contributing three goals and three assists in the process. During this time, the midfielder stood out as a strong presence in the middle of the park with former Stoke boss Alex Neil hailing him as "a great balance of knowledge and experience".

Despite Stoke potentially willing to let Laurent leave for a cut-rate price owing to his contract situation, the Blues would still likely have to match his wages, which currently stand at a reported £15,000 per week.

Regardless of how much the deal would cost, there is no doubt that bringing Laurent to St Andrews this summer could be an excellent bit of business from Birmingham as they look to make an instant return to the Championship.

Southampton are on the verge of making another signing this summer after a move was dubbed a "done deal" by one transfer insider.

Saints recruiting for Premier League return

Now back in the Premier League after beating Leeds United in the Championship play off final, Russell Martin is keen to add quality to his ranks. They have already confirmed the addition of Taylor Harwood-Bellis on a permanent deal, after the centre-back impressed on loan with the Saints across the 2023-24 campaign.

In addition to the ex-Man City man, they have added Premier League experience in the shape of veteran duo Charlie Taylor and Adam Lallana, who have played over 400 top flight games between them.

But speculation continues to swirl around some of the stars of the Saints squad. They have already lost striker Che Adams on a free transfer this summer, and more could yet depart.

Exceptional defender Kyle Walker-Peters is the latest to be linked with a move away from the club this summer amid interest from West Ham United, which could see a swap deal engineered to bring Flynn Downes back to St Mary's after a loan spell last season.

It appears that Martin and co. are preparing for just that eventuality, with a new full-back set to arrive imminently on the south coast.

Southampton set to sign new full back

Now, Southampton are on the verge of adding another defender to their ranks in the form of 24-year-old Yukinari Sugawara. According to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, the move to take the defender to St Mary's is now a "deal done", with Southampton set to pay around 7m euros (£5.9m) all in for the Japan international.

Southampton in talks for 35-cap international who Klopp called "incredible"

Arsene Wenger once compared him to Wayne Rooney.

By
Henry Jackson

Jul 9, 2024

It is added that Sugawara underwent a medical on Wednesday ahead of completing a move to the Premier League new boys. Valued at 12m euros by transfer site Transfermarkt, the 24-year-old is likely available at a discount due to the fact that he is entering the final 12 months of his £3k-per week contract with AZ.

But he remains a top level player. As per stats site Statsbomb, he is the closest U23 player to Trent Alexander-Arnold stylistically from last season, though he will have to hit the ground running to have the same impact on the south coast as the England defender has on Merseyside.

He will become the 15th Japanese player to play in the Premier League after international teammate Daichi Kamada joined Crystal Palace earlier in the summer. He will also be the sixth member of the Japan squad to play in England's top flight next season (Mitoma, Tomiyasu, Kamada, Endo, Hashioka).

Charlton co-owner Charlie Methven says Ryan Reynolds is bringing Premier League-level commercial success to Wrexham.

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• Wrexham on the global map thanks to Reynolds
• One of most televised EFL teams
• Charlton boss says success rivals Premier League clubs

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Wrexham's rapid rise from the National League to League One has been well-documented and much of their success can be put down to the Hollywood power of Reynolds. The sponsorships he attracts, the television coverage the Red Dragons have and the players the Welsh side can sign all contribute to marketing success similar to a Premier League club. That is according to Charlton co-owner Charlie Methven, who has opened up on life in the same division as Wrexham.

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  WHAT METHVEN SAID

  Speaking on the podcast, Methven said: "At Premier League level, a very significant proportion of a club’s revenues will come from the centralised TV deal. What's happening in the undergrowth is that certain clubs in the EFL are starting to change those traditional ratios by making themselves relevant to a much broader audience. [These clubs] are attracting revenues massively disproportionate to their rivals. The most prominent examples of this both currently sit in League One in the shape of Birmingham City and Wrexham.

  "Wrexham started to build through the association with Ryan Reynolds, who's a genuine global star, and Welcome to Wrexham appearing on a major streaming platform in Disney+. They’re now attracting a level of eyeballs more similar to a Premier League club."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Reynolds' ultimate aim for Wrexham is to get them promoted to the Premier League. If they are competing with clubs in the top flight now, the potential they have by getting promoted two more times could make them one of the most-watched clubs in the world, particularly with how accessible Premier League football is across the globe.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR WREXHAM?

  Season four of 'Welcome to Wrexham' is well underway and viewers can be excited with what has happened in the club's season so far. The club sit third, just two points off the automatic promotion places. Next up for Phil Parkinson and his players is a trip to Stockport, a team they came up from League Two with last season.