Wrexham have begun their pre-season preparations as a Championship club for the first time, and the opening friendly offered a measured start to what promises to be the most demanding season in the club's recent history. A goalless draw against Wisla Krakow on July 11 kept a clean sheet but offered little in the way of attacking spark, which will be a point of focus as the squad builds fitness and sharpness ahead of the new campaign.

The competitive context is significant. Wrexham sit 23rd in the early Championship standings, level on points with the clubs around them as no competitive matches have been played yet, but the table already signals the scale of the challenge ahead. Promotion from League One was a remarkable achievement, yet stepping into the second tier brings a different level of opposition week in, week out. The club will need to add quality and depth to the squad if they are to compete effectively and avoid an immediate return to the third tier.

Attention now turns to a high-profile pre-season test on July 18, when Wrexham travel to face Manchester United. The fixture carries obvious commercial appeal given the club's ownership connections, but it also provides a genuine opportunity to measure the squad against top-level opposition before the season begins. How the team performs and who stands out will give supporters a clearer picture of the group's readiness for Championship football.