Wrexham sign Burnley defender Worrall
Wrexham have signed Burnley centre-back Joe Worrall for an undisclosed fee, agreeing a two-year contract with the option of a further year. Manager Phil Parkinson had been keen to strengthen his defence after the club failed to keep a clean sheet in their opening four matches of 2026-27 and remain without a win in all competitions, with Parkinson recently criticising his side for conceding "two of the softest goals" of his tenure during a defeat by Birmingham City.
The 29-year-old, capped by England at under-21 level, joins ahead of Tuesday's 23:00 BST transfer deadline and replaces Conor Coady, who left by mutual consent. Worrall came through the ranks at Nottingham Forest, making 226 appearances and helping the club win promotion to the Premier League in 2021-22, before spells on loan at Rangers and Besiktas and a 2024 move to Burnley, where he had been an unused substitute this season. He is one of several arrivals at the Racecourse Ground this summer, alongside Anthony Patterson, Danny Imray, Issa Kabore, Jacques Ekomie and Ben Whiteman, with further squad changes possible before the deadline.
- Wrexham sign defender Joe Worrall from Burnley on a two-year deal
- Move addresses defensive frailties after four games without a clean sheet
- Worrall replaces Conor Coady, who departed by mutual consent
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Wrexham are a Welsh club who play in the English football league system. They have risen quickly in recent seasons, winning promotions and attracting wider attention after a takeover by actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.
The club are managed by Phil Parkinson, who has overseen much of that progress. A centre-back is a defender who plays in the middle of the back line, where the main job is to stop opposing teams creating and scoring chances.
Joe Worrall has spent most of his career with Nottingham Forest and has also played for Burnley, Rangers and Besiktas. His arrival is part of Wrexham’s effort to build a squad capable of competing at their current level, while the transfer window is the period in which clubs can buy and sell players.