Wrexham sign two players in 15 minutes on deadline day including former Man City defender

Wrexham have made two deadline day signings including a former Manchester City defender.

Wrexham are aiming to secure a second promotion in as many seasons, following their return to the Football League after a 15 year absence.

The Welsh side are currently second in the League Two table, five points behind leaders Stockport county with a game in hand.

In a bid to boost their promotion push, Hollywood owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have provided manager Phil Parkinson with two deadline day signings.

On Thursday morning, Wrexham announced the signings of former Man City defender Luke Bolton fellow League Two side Salford City. 15 minutes later, the Red Dragons confirmed the capture of former Derby County striker Jack Marriott from Fleetwood Town.

Both have joined Wrexham on permanent moves, with Bolton signing a contract until 2026 and Marriott committing himself to the project until 2025.

Right-back Bolton is a graduate of City's academy, and he was a member of the club's U21 side that won the Premier League 2 title in 2021/22. Though the 24-year-old never made a senior appearance for the club, Pep Guardiola included him in City's 2018/19 Champions League squad, and he was an unused substitute in the second leg of City's Carabao Cup semi-final against Burton Albion in January 2019.

Introducing our latest Red, Luke Bolton 👊

🔴⚪️ #WxmAFC pic.twitter.com/mDMQjfPbTE

— Wrexham AFC (@Wrexham_AFC) February 1, 2024

Marriott arrives at the SToK Racecourse with a wealth of experience playing in the Championship and League One, and has dropped down a division to play for Wrexham.

The 29-year-old striker was a member of the Derby County side that lost to Aston Villa in the 2018/19 Championship Play-off final at Wembley, scoring seven goals and assisting five more in 33 games that season.

Marriott told the club's website: "The club’s performances, the way they play as a team is a real key factor for me signing and the trajectory that the club is going in is something that I want to be involved in and I’m absolutely delighted to be here."

Wrexham's squad now boasts a number of players who have spent much of their careers playing at a higher level, including James McClean, Paul Mullin and Steven Fletcher.

Next up for Wrexham is a trip to Salford on Saturday to face Bolton's former side.