Wrexham's pre-season tour has been a statement of intent, and the results back it up. Phil Parkinson's side beat Manchester United 1-0 in Helsinki and followed that with a 3-2 win over Leeds United, results that have firmly established the Red Dragons as a Championship side with genuine ambition for the season ahead.

The most recent outing was a 1-0 defeat to Liverpool at Yankee Stadium on July 29, a result that carries little concern given the occasion and the opponent. Co-owner Ryan Reynolds described the New York fixture as a "punch me moment," and the attention surrounding the club reflects how far Wrexham have travelled in a short space of time. Losing narrowly to a Premier League side in one of sport's most iconic venues is not a setback; it is a marker of how the club's profile has grown.

Off the pitch, Wrexham are moving with purpose too. The club are closing in on the appointment of Newcastle United's Steve Nickson as sporting director, a structural move that signals serious long-term planning as they prepare for their second Championship campaign.

With a W2 D1 L2 record across their last five outings, the form picture is mixed but the quality of opposition provides important context. Next up is a friendly against Sunderland today, a side fresh from a seventh-place Premier League finish, giving Parkinson's squad one final test before competitive football begins.