Exclusive: Wrexham AFC plotting Nottingham Forest transfer raid | OneFootball

Wrexham are looking to make a move for Nottingham Forest midfielder Lewis O'Brien, Football League World has learned

Championship newcomers Wrexham are plotting an ambitious move for Nottingham Forest's Lewis O'Brien, Football League World can exclusively reveal.

The upwardly-mobile Welsh outfit recently gained automatic promotion to the second-tier alongside fellow big-spenders Birmingham City.

Both clubs are expected to rival the freshly-relegated trio of Ipswich Town, Leicester City and Southampton for targets this summer, despite all three entering the first year of the Premier League's mandated parachute payments package, and have also been tipped to go toe-to-toe with top-flight sides, too.

Wrexham have made little secret of their ambition and financial muscle under Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney in recent years, which has helped to spearhead the Red Dragons' ascension up the footballing ladder with a record-breaking three successive promotions from the National League to the Championship.

Reports have claimed that Wrexham have offered a £50,000 weekly contract to classy Fulham midfielder Tom Cairney. Bolstering the midfield engine room appears to be a firm priority for Phil Parkinson, who, as FLW can now disclose, is looking into yet another ambitious deal in that area of the pitch.

Earlier today, meanwhile, FLW broke the news of Wrexham's interest in Barnsley forward Davis Keillor-Dunn alongside second-tier rivals Oxford United and QPR.

Wrexham AFC plotting Lewis O'Brien, Nottingham Forest transfer move

Sources close to FLW have revealed that Wrexham are eyeing a move for O'Brien this summer following promotion to the Championship.

The central midfielder is set to return to parent club Forest after a successful loan spell with Swansea City in the second-half of the 2024/25 campaign, where he made 16 appearances and established himself as a fan favourite with the Jack Army.

Swansea are keen to bring O'Brien back to the club on a permanent basis, but are facing reported competition from Carlos Corberan's Valencia and FLW understands that Wrexham have now joined the race.

O'Brien is surplus to requirements at the City Ground, and Forest's confirmed qualification for UEFA European competition next term means a summer sale is likely to be sanctioned. His stint in South Wales was his fourth loan spell away from the club, having made just 17 appearances for the Reds in three years after his 2022 arrival from Huddersfield Town amid temporary moves to DC United, Middlesbrough and Los Angeles FC.

The 26-year-old is best known for his time at Huddersfield, featuring on 131 occasions across three seasons and helping the Terriers to the 2022 Championship play-off final - where they were undone by Forest.

Wrexham, however, will be hoping to complete an impressive deal for O'Brien and get him back to the levels he displayed in West Yorkshire.

Nottingham Forest's Lewis O'Brien could mark fresh Wrexham AFC statement of intent

At this point, few can doubt just how ambitious Wrexham are, and signing O'Brien would simply offer yet another reminder of the direction of travel that Ryan Reynolds and co are intending to take.

Parkinson's squad already has a litany of second-tier experience within the likes of Matty James, Oliver Rathbone, Andy Cannon and James McClean, but O'Brien would bring real nous, pedigree and proven quality at the top-end of the division.

At 26, the best could still be yet to come from O'Brien, who has developed a reputation as one of the Championship's most rounded and energetic midfielders across his career.

He was excellent at Swansea and played such a huge role in the only positive campaign Huddersfield have enjoyed in the last eight years, and could be influential to Wrexham competing for promotion once again next time out.