Wrexham star suffers serious injury in first game of Championship season after big-money move

Wrexham’s miserable return to the second tier of English football was compounded by a serious injury to star striker Kieffer Moore.

Moore was forced off in the 54th minute of his debut having joined from Sheffield United earlier in the week.

The Dragons went ahead midway through the first half as Josh Windass converted from the spot.

However, Ryan Manning and Jack Stephens struck in second half injury time to flip the game on its head and hand Southampton an opening weekend win, giving their fans something to cheer about after a miserable Premier League campaign.

And Wrexham’s late capitulation was made all the worse by Moore’s serious looking ankle injury.

“We've lost Kieffer, which is obviously a blow,” Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson said after the loss on the south coast.

“His performance was outstanding, everything we know he brings to us We've just got to assess that injury as quickly as we can. It was his ankle ligaments.”

Moore one of a number of summer signings

Moore is one of a number of experienced heads to make the move to Wrexham in the off-season, with Windass another making the move to the Welsh side having left Sheffield Wednesday earlier in the summer.

Windass faces an early reunion with his former employers when they take on the Owls at the Racecourse Ground later this month.

In addition to Moore and Windass, Lewis O’Brien, Conor Coady and Danny Ward have all made the move to Parkinson’s side in the off season.

Wrexham have a chance to quickly move on from their opening weekend loss at Saints when they face Hull in front of their own fans in the EFL Cup in midweek.

Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney are strengthening their Wrexham squad ahead of the new season.

Wrexham have drawn plenty of admirers having earned three successive promotions under the ownership of Hollywood actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, the pair famous from the respective roles in ‘Deadpool’ and ‘It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’.

That said, the quest for a fourth promotion in as many years was handed a rude awakening.

It also remains to be seen whether Wrexham will dip into the market to sign another striker should Moore face a sustained spell on the sidelines.

However, with a little over three weeks to go until the transfer window closes, Wrexham have been linked with a number of new additions.

The club have been linked with former Liverpool man Jack Robinson, while Nathan Broadhead, Lewis Koumas and Ajax midfielder Sivert Mannsverk were all rumoured with a summer switch to the club last week, and Parkinson last week spoke of reports linking the club with a move for Broadhead.

Parkinson confirms Wrexham looking into deals

“I honestly don't know anything today, whether there's been any developments,” Parkinson said of the 27-year-old Tractor Boys forward.

“He's Ipswich Town's player. Until I'm told different, that's the way it'll stay. There's a number of deals we're looking into at the moment.”

However, Kieran McKenna has said that the Tractor Boys are not in a position to lose the 27-year-old.

“He's expressed his desire to look at another opportunity that's been presented to him,” McKenna said of Broadhead.

“But at this moment with the position the club is in, it's not the right time or even a possible time for us to allow a good player to leave the building.

“We'll have to see how the situation plays out over the coming weeks.”