Wrexham AFC have signed Preston North End captain Ben Whiteman on a three-year deal, with the option of a further year, marking the Championship club's second summer signing after full-back Danny Imray. The 30-year-old midfielder, who has made 200 Championship appearances, joins for an undisclosed fee and passed a medical on Tuesday, with the move underlining Wrexham's ambitions to push on towards the Premier League.

Whiteman spent five and a half years at Preston after joining in January 2021, but his departure has been coloured by criticism from manager Paul Heckingbottom, who said the player forced the move by telling club bosses he had played his final game for the Lilywhites. Born in Rochdale, Whiteman came through Manchester United's academy before making his senior debut at Sheffield United in 2014, later joining Doncaster Rovers permanently in 2018 and captaining the side until his switch to Preston. He made 43 Championship appearances for Preston last season as they finished 14th.