Wrexham close in on Burnley defender Worrall

Wrexham are closing in on a deal to sign Burnley defender Joe Worrall.

Phil Parkinson has been eager to improve his defensive options and looks set to add the 29-year-old to his ranks prior to Tuesday’s 23:00 BST transfer deadline.

Worrall has been an unused substitute in each of the Clarets’ opening three Championship games of the season.

His sole appearance under new boss Nicky Hayen this term came in Burnley’s EFL Cup first round victory over Notts County at Turf Moor on 8 August.

Wrexham have failed to keep a clean sheet in their opening four matches and are yet to win across all competitions in 2026-27.

After Friday’s 2-1 defeat by Birmingham City, Parkinson declared his side had conceded “two of the softest goals” of his tenure as boss.

Worrall started his career with Nottingham Forest and made 226 appearances for his boyhood club prior to his switch to Burnley in the summer of 2024.

The centre-back – who also had loan spells at Dagenham & Redbridge, Rangers and Besiktas – was named Forest’s player of the season in 2020-21.

The following campaign, he played a pivotal role in helping Forest gain promotion into the Premier League via the Championship play-offs and was named in the second tier’s team of the season for 2021-22.

He won the Turkish Cup during a loan spell with Besiktas in 2023-24 before completing a switch to Turf Moor.

Worrall has made 27 appearances across all competitions for Burnley.

The expected arrival of Worrall could pave the way for 10-cap England international Conor Coady – who joined Wrexham from Leicester City last summer – to leave the Welsh side.

Coady has not featured in any of Wrexham’s four matchday squads across all competitions so far this season.

Elliot Lee, Harry Ashfield and Aaron James are also among those who could leave the Racecourse Ground either on loan or permanently in the next 48 hours.

The Red Dragons have signed goalkeeper Anthony Patterson, wing-backs Danny Imray, Issa Kabore and Jacques Ekomie and central midfielder Ben Whiteman so far this summer.

Wrexham could also recruit an additional forward in the final stages of the summer window.

Parkinson’s side return to Championship action at Millwall on Wednesday night (19:45 BST).