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Wrexham have officially announced the acquisition of Preston North End skipper Ben Whiteman.
The 30-year-old central midfielder becomes the club's second summer recruit for an undisclosed fee, thought to be around $3.3 million. He has penned an initial three-year deal at the Racecourse Ground, with the club holding an option for a further year.
Whiteman passed his medical on Tuesday and could feature in Wrexham's squad for Friday's Carabao Cup first-round clash against Middlesbrough. Phil Parkinson had identified the need for an additional central midfielder this summer to offer competition and depth behind Matty James and Ben Sheaf in the holding midfield position.
The ex-Preston skipper was among the Championship's most prominent defensive midfielders last season, though his arrival may signal the departure of George Dobson from the Racecourse Ground.
Wrexham continue to seek a goalkeeper, a center back and a striker ahead of next month's transfer window deadline. The Red Dragons ended last season in seventh place in the Championship and anticipate even stiffer competition in the division this campaign.
Why Wrexham Have Signed Whiteman
Parkinson sought another dependable defensive midfielder following injuries to both James and Sheaf that hampered Wrexham's promotion challenge last season. James celebrated his 35th birthday last month, while Sheaf sustained a serious knee injury in February that ruled him out until the final day of the season.
Whiteman made 43 Championship starts for Preston last season in what was arguably his best year at the club. The former Manchester United academy product is an excellent ball distributor and ranked among the Championship's top midfielders for assists, completed passes, accurate long balls and chances created.
His five assists surpassed the combined total of Dobson, James and Sheaf. He also averaged 1.6 key passes per game and completed more passes per match than all three of Wrexham's existing defensive midfielders.
It should be noted, however, that many of those passing figures were influenced by volume. Whiteman's pass completion rate of 76% fell below that of Dobson, James and Sheaf, and he is not the most dynamic player without the ball. Consequently, Parkinson will need to select the right midfield partner alongside him to bring out his best qualities and preserve balance in the center of the park.
25–26 Championship Stats
Championship Statistic | Ben Whiteman | George Dobson | Matty James | Ben Sheaf |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Appearances | 43 | 31 (9 sub) | 24 (13) | 24 (5) |
Minutes | 3736 | 2917 | 2233 | 2918 |
FotMob Rating | 7.25 | 7.09 | 6.90 | 6.94 |
Goals | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
Assists | 5 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
Yellow cards | 10 | 8 | 4 | 6 |
Passing accuracy | 76% | 82.7% | 83.8% | 86.5% |
Chances created | 68 | 29 | 20 | 17 |
Duels won | 151 | 171 | 114 | 115 |
Dispossessed | 11 | 23 | 11 | 15 |
Defensive contributions | 311 | 206 | 124 | 100 |
Tackles | 79 | 93 | 54 | 38 |
Interceptions | 53 | 32 | 22 | 23 |
Clearances | 138 | 67 | 41 | 31 |
Whiteman 'Thrilled' to Join Wrexham
Our second summer signing is here 👀
🔴⚪ #WxmAFC pic.twitter.com/6idyblEZtA
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"It's an incredible feeling to be here. I'm absolutely delighted to sign for Wrexham," Whiteman said following the announcement of his move.
"I think every Championship player right now wants to be part of this football club. Wrexham is a club with ambitions of reaching the Premier League, and that's exactly what I want too. Once the interest became clear, it was impossible to turn down."
"We're really pleased to bring Ben to the club," Parkinson added. "He's a highly experienced Championship player, and we're very much looking forward to working with him over the coming seasons."