James McClean on the verge of sealing surprise Wrexham AFC transfer exit | OneFootball

Wrexham's James McClean is close to sealing an emotional return to join boyhood club Derry City.

James McClean is set to return to Derry City after they reached an agreement with Wrexham to sign the left-sided player.

The 36-year-old, who was born in Derry, made his name for the club after breaking through in 2008, with his performances in the Irish league earning him a move to Sunderland.

Since then, McClean has gone on to have a successful career, featuring for Wigan, West Brom and Stoke before he joined Wrexham in 2023.

James McClean set to seal transfer move from Wrexham to Derry City

That turned out to be inspired business by the Red Dragons, as McClean has been hugely influential for Phil Parkinson’s side as they won promotion from League Two in his first season.

He was a key figure in the previous campaign as well, as Wrexham recorded another promotion to reach the Championship, which continues their remarkable rise under their Hollywood owners.

Whilst McClean has continued to play his part this season, he is expected to find game time harder to come by now Liberato Cacace has returned to full fitness.

Therefore, the Irish Independent has revealed that Wrexham are ready to sanction McClean’s exit, as they confirmed everything is in place for the ex-Ireland international to return home.

They state a deal has been agreed between the clubs, and there is an expectation it could be confirmed ‘in the next 48 hours’.

James McClean will leave Wrexham with a lot of appreciation

Wrexham’s success means there has been a high turnover of players in recent years, and it’s sad for the fans when popular individuals do move on.

But, that’s part of the process, and McClean will no doubt leave with the best wishes of everyone at the club given all he has given over the past few years.

They will remember that he took the decision to drop down to join Wrexham, but it’s a decision that paid off, as he made many great memories in a red shirt, with the supporters loving the way he played with passion and an edge.

Realistically, though, Parkinson now has better options at his disposal, and, at 36, McClean would have known this day was coming.

He has made it clear in the past that he wanted to play for Derry again, so this is a move that suits all parties, and you would now expect Cacace to nail down a place in the XI at left wing-back, and it will be interesting to see if Parkinson does go into the market to bring in another specialist in that role.