Future Wrexham captain? Max Cleworth quizzed on whether he wants to lead Ryan Reynolds & Rob McElhenney project towards Premier League end goal

The armband at SToK Racecourse is coming up for grabs this summer, with Ben Tozer and Luke Young among those to have been released at the end of the 2023-24 campaign. A new skipper will be required in League One next season, with prolific striker Paul Mullin considered to be a leading contender for that role.

Cleworth will hope to come into contention for captaincy duties further down the line, as he is just 21 years of age, and he has told the Fearless in Devotion podcast of whether he sees himself leading Wrexham out of the tunnel: “That’s something that I would like to be in the future, but you obviously never know what happens in football. But that would be something that means a lot to me if it happens one day. I don’t like to think too far in the future – take it day by day, or a season at a time and if happens one day, it happens. Obviously just enjoy playing for the club at the minute and see what happens.”

Cleworth has stepped out of Wrexham’s academy to become a regular under Phil Parkinson, with it his intention to nail down a role at centre-half – rather than experiment with the midfield berth that he has filled at times. The youngster added: “I think I came on against Altrincham away in the National League, and I played central mid. Centre-half is probably going to be my main position – whether that be a back three or back four. I think I could maybe do a job in centre mid, but the more you play centre-half the harder it becomes to play centre mid – because they are very different in terms of the way you receive the ball, the time you have on it. Altogether it’s a completely different position, so I’d like to think I could do a job but I mainly see myself as a centre-half.”

Parkinson will find a role for Cleworth within his defensive unit next season, with there the potential for new recruits to be drafted in alongside him as Hollywood co-owners Reynolds and McElhenney prepare to make more funds available in the summer transfer window.