Wrexham have agreed a £2 million deal with Manchester City to bring Issa Kaboré back to the club on a permanent transfer, strengthening Phil Parkinson’s squad with a player who already knows the demands of Championship football.
The 25-year-old Burkina Faso international spent the 2025/26 season on loan at Wrexham and quickly became an important part of Parkinson’s system. He made 32 appearances across all competitions and supplied eight assists, including three in his first two league matches.
The proposed move represents a significant investment in a position Wrexham have already identified as important to their promotion ambitions. Kaboré is expected to undergo the formalities required to complete the transfer, with the deal reported at around £2 million.
Why Wrexham wanted Issa Kaboré back
Kaboré’s previous season in north Wales gave Wrexham a clear indication of what he can offer.
Operating primarily as a right wing-back, the Burkina Faso international provided width, energy and attacking support while also contributing defensively. His eight assists during his loan spell demonstrated his ability to influence matches from a position that demands considerable work across both halves of the pitch.
That familiarity is particularly valuable for Parkinson. Rather than bringing in a player who needs months to understand the team’s tactical demands, Wrexham would be adding someone who has already worked within the manager’s structure and experienced the intensity of the Championship with the club.
The signing also gives Wrexham greater depth on the right side. Danny Imray was recruited from Crystal Palace earlier in the summer, meaning Parkinson would have two recognised options capable of operating in that area.
Kaboré’s Manchester City career
Kaboré joined Manchester City from Belgian club KV Mechelen in July 2020, signing a five-year contract after making his breakthrough in Belgium.
Despite spending more than six years on City’s books, he never made a competitive first-team appearance for the Premier League club. Instead, he developed his career through a series of loan spells, gaining experience away from the Etihad Stadium before eventually establishing himself at Wrexham.
His return to Wrexham therefore represents an important step in defining his career away from the Manchester City system.
For City, the transfer would bring an end to a long association with a player who never managed to break into Pep Guardiola’s former first-team squad. For Wrexham, it offers the opportunity to turn a successful temporary relationship into a permanent one.
Wrexham’s summer recruitment continues
Kaboré would become Wrexham’s fourth senior signing of the summer following the arrivals of Imray, Ben Whiteman and goalkeeper Anthony Patterson.
The club have continued to invest heavily as they prepare for another Championship campaign. Patterson arrived from Sunderland in a deal reported at around £8 million, while Whiteman moved from Preston North End and Imray joined from Crystal Palace.
The recruitment strategy reflects Wrexham’s determination to build on their first season back in the second tier.
The club finished seventh in the 2025/26 Championship with 71 points, narrowly missing out on the play-offs under the previous format. The EFL’s official records confirm Wrexham finished seventh with 19 wins, 14 draws and 13 defeats.
That seventh-place finish has nevertheless strengthened the belief that Wrexham can compete near the top of the division. Their recruitment this summer has been aimed at increasing the quality and depth available to Parkinson rather than simply maintaining the squad that secured a strong first season at Championship level.
For readers following the wider English football pyramid, Winonbetonline’s guide to the seven tiers of English football provides further context on Wrexham’s remarkable rise from the National League to the Championship.
What Kaboré brings to Phil Parkinson’s team
The biggest attraction is continuity.
Kaboré already understands the physical demands of English football and has experience playing in a Wrexham side that relies heavily on the contribution of its wing-backs. His pace and ability to advance from deep can give Parkinson another route into the final third, particularly against teams that defend with a compact block.
His previous eight assists also highlight an attacking dimension that goes beyond simply providing defensive cover. Wrexham can use him to create overloads on the flank, stretch opposing back lines and provide service into the penalty area.
At the same time, the move gives Parkinson greater tactical flexibility. Kaboré can operate as a conventional full-back or in a more advanced wing-back role depending on the opposition and match situation.
The challenge will be maintaining consistency across a full Championship campaign. Wrexham’s ambitions have risen quickly, and opponents will now be increasingly prepared for the style and intensity that helped the club establish themselves in the division.
Wrexham’s promotion ambitions face another test
Wrexham’s investment is taking place against the backdrop of a highly competitive Championship.
The club’s seventh-place finish last season demonstrated that promotion contention is realistic, but the narrow margin separating the play-off positions from the chasing pack means squad depth could prove decisive.
Kaboré’s arrival would address one of those areas while also giving Parkinson a player he already trusts.
The 2026/27 Championship season began in August, with Wrexham opening their campaign away to Cardiff City on 17 August. The EFL has confirmed that the regular Championship season began across 14-16 August, with the summer transfer window remaining open until 1 September.
That leaves Wrexham with limited time to complete further business and finalise Parkinson’s squad.
The club’s next challenge is to turn financial investment and improved squad depth into consistent results. Kaboré’s return could be an important part of that process, particularly because he does not represent an unknown quantity.
Kaboré could become a key part of Wrexham’s next step
A £2 million permanent deal is a significant commitment, but Wrexham have compelling reasons to make it.
Kaboré has already demonstrated that he can perform for the club, understands Parkinson’s methods and has experience of the Championship. His attacking output from the right flank adds another dimension to a squad that is being assembled with promotion in mind.
The transfer also illustrates how quickly Wrexham’s recruitment standards have changed. A club that only recently competed in the National League is now able to negotiate permanent deals for international players with Premier League clubs.
The move is not simply about bringing back a popular former loanee. It is another indication that Wrexham intend to compete seriously at the top end of the Championship.
If Kaboré can reproduce the level of performance he showed during his previous spell, his permanent return could prove one of the more important pieces of Parkinson’s squad as Wrexham attempt to turn last season’s near miss into a genuine promotion challenge.
