Football: All Whites defender Liberato Cacace joins Wrexham on three-year deal

All Whites defender Liberato Cacace has signed with Wrexham AFC on the eve of their friendly clash with the Wellington Phoenix.

Wrexham owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have splashed the cash for the 24-year-old, with reports saying the Welsh club has paid a transfer fee of around $8.9m for Cacace, a deal that is worth double their previous record fee.

Sadly for Phoenix fans, Cacace won’t play in Saturday afternoon’s pre-season friendly, which is Wrexham’s final match Down Under before returning home to prepare for their first campaign back in England’s second-tier Championship.

Cacace said he was “absolutely delighted” to commit to Wrexham and can’t wait to get started at the club.

“Looking from the outside, what they are creating here is something I want to be part of. The family they have here, it’s a tight-knit club and that enticed me.

“I had a great phone call with the manager and after that I really wanted to sign.”

Cacace began his career with the Phoenix before moving to Belgium club Sint-Truiden and then Empoli in Italy’s Serie A, where he played 93 games.

Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson said: “We are delighted to welcome Libby to Wrexham and look forward to integrating him with the squad on our return home.”

Wrexham became famous in 2021 when the club was purchased by Reynolds and McElhenney.

At the time, they were playing in the National League, the fifth tier of English football. They have since secured three straight promotions to sit in the Championship for the first time in 43 years, one spot below the Premier League.

The club also has a series on Disney+ called Welcome to Wrexham.

Wrexham are one of the oldest football clubs in the world, formed in 1864, and play in the England system because when the club was founded there was no established Welsh league for them to join.

Wrexham have already played Australian sides Melbourne Victory and Sydney FC before travelling to New Zealand.

The Red Dragons won their first clash in Melbourne 3-0 but fell to a 2-1 defeat in Sydney.

Wrexham begin the Championship season, and their attempts to earn promotion to the Premier League, away at Southampton on August 9.

Cacace won’t be the first Kiwi to play for Wrexham, with Chris Killen featuring in 14 games in 2000, while Tom McNab played 47 times from 1957-1959.

Around 25,000 fans are expected at Sky Stadium for today’s clash.

Ben Francis is an Auckland-based reporter for the New Zealand Herald who covers breaking sports news.