New Wrexham striker Nathan Broadhead has issued a rallying call to supporters across North Wales.
The club smashed their transfer record to sign the Wales striker from Ipswich Town in a deal worth up to £10m on Thursday.
The 27-year-old Bangor-born forward has penned a four-year contract at the SToK Cae Ras, subject to international clearance, after the Championship newcomers stepped up their pursuit when Ipswich secured Chuba Akpom from Ajax.
“It’s been a long time coming and I’m delighted to join the club,” Broadhead said.
“Belief is going to be the biggest thing for us this season. We want to get everyone from North Wales down to the SToK Cae Ras and to show that belief in us.”
The Wales international began his football journey in Wrexham’s academy before joining Everton aged 10.
His return comes at the club’s highest point in more than four decades, with Broadhead determined to connect the Red Dragons’ Championship campaign to the community he grew up in.
Broadhead was in the final year of his Ipswich deal, having joined the Suffolk side from Everton for £1.5m in January 2023.
He helped the Tractor Boys achieve back-to-back promotions from League One to the Premier League and scored twice in 18 top-flight appearances last season.
His signing eclipses last month’s £3m deal for Lewis O’Brien from Nottingham Forest, the previous record since Hollywood owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney took over in 2021.
The forward is Wrexham’s ninth addition of the summer as they continue to take their first steps in their first season in the second tier since 1981.
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While the financial details remain undisclosed, the structure of the deal is expected to see Wrexham pay around £7.5m up front, with add-ons potentially taking it to the £10m figure.
Even so, it comfortably represents the club’s largest outlay in the modern era.
Manager Phil Parkinson said: “I’m delighted to welcome Nathan to the club. We’re all looking forward to working with him in the coming seasons.”
Broadhead joins an influx of high-profile arrivals at the SToK Cae Ras, including fellow Wales internationals Danny Ward and Kieffer Moore, as well as Josh Windass, Ryan Hardie, Conor Coady, Liberato Cacace and George Thomason.
The forward has 14 caps for Wales, scoring his first international goal against Croatia on debut in 2023.
His club career includes loan spells with Burton Albion, Sunderland and Wigan Athletic before his breakthrough at Ipswich.
Broadhead’s return to North Wales is steeped in local significance.
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His upbringing in Bangor and early years in Wrexham’s youth system make him a rare homegrown link in a squad that now attracts global attention thanks to the club’s Hollywood ownership and heavily-marketed documentary coverage.
That international profile has helped Wrexham grow a fanbase stretching from California to Sydney – but Broadhead wants to ensure the club’s heartbeat remains in the terraces of the SToK Cae Ras.
His call for supporters from across North Wales to attend games is a direct appeal to strengthen home advantage in a highly competitive Championship.
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For Wrexham, Broadhead offers versatility across the front line, the experience of competing at Premier League level, and a proven record in key moments – but his desire to inspire a regional following could be just as valuable.
The Red Dragons are also understood to be exploring further additions before the window closes, with Liverpool’s Wales U21 forward Lewis Koumas and Ajax midfielder Sivert Mannsverk – who spent last season on loan at Cardiff City – both linked with moves.
