Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney splash the cash! Wrexham break transfer record with swoop to sign midfielder Ollie Rathbone in deal worth over £300,000

Rathbone has signed a three-year contract with Wrexham until the summer of 2027. The Athletic has reported it to be a club record transfer, which means the fee is in excess of the £300,000 ($383,000) paid for Ollie Palmer in January 2022.

On the eve of Wrexham's first game of the League One season, Rathbone has spent his whole career at that level or higher. The former Manchester United youth player got his senior break at Rochdale in the division, before helping Rotherham get promoted to the Championship and spending the last two seasons there.

"I'm delighted. I'm really excited to be here and to get going,"Rathbone said. "To have back-to-back promotions, the club is obviously doing something very right from the outside looking in. There's nowhere I'd rather be signing. I'm really glad the move has been completed. It's going to be a long season, but I'm hopeful that we'll have another successful season."

Rathbone's arrival is still subject to final EFL approval, so he won't be in Phil Parkinson's matchday squad for the opening game of the season against Wycombe Wanderers on Saturday. But he could make his debut in the Carabao Cup first round against Sheffield United on August 13.