Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have a vision for Wrexham AFC, but can you make their dreams come true in FIFA 23 Career Mode?
The Hollywood A-listers have already splashed the cash in attempting to break Wrexham free of their National League shackles, and now it's your time to shine.
With a squad capable of competing at the top end of League Two already, your task will be to take them to the very top.
Starting Up
Before you begin, you will need to replace a current team in League Two with Wrexham.
When selecting which team you will manage, head to League Two and pick which team you want to replace.
Using Triangle/Y, select Wrexham from the Rest of World section as the team you want to add to the league. Simple.
You can also change the name of the home ground to Racecourse Ground in keeping with the oldest international stadium in the world.
Team Rating
Wrexham has a 1-star rating in FIFA 23, with a 62 OVR.
The breakdown of the ratings is as follows: ATT 65, MID 62, DEF 62.
Starting Lineup and Formation
Wrexham's squad is set up to play with five at the back, so we would stick with the 5-1-2-2 formation as it is effective in FIFA 23.
Mark Howard (OVR 63) is the highest-rated GK in the squad, so he should be given the starting role in season one.
Your back three should consist of Aaron Hayden (OVR 65), Ben Tozer (OVR 63), and Jordan Tunnicliffe (OVR 64).
Anthony Forde (OVR 63) and Callum McFadzean (OVR 61) will be the two starting wing-backs, although Jacob Mendy does offer extra pace.
Shielding the defence in holding midfield will be Luke Young (OVR 62), with Elliot Lee (OVR 64) and Jordan Davies (OVR 63) allowed more freedom to join the attack.
Up top are your key players, with the giant Ollie Palmer (OVR 64) partnered by the lethal Paul Mullin (OVR 67).
Tactics and Instructions
You need your wing-backs to Join The Attack or your team will be left very narrow when in possession.
We would opt to keep the CDM on Stay Back While Attacking and Cover Centre to maintain a solid base in defence.
Aside from that, we would keep the rest of the tactics and instructions the same as the default settings.
Development Plans
There are no position changes that need to be made, however, there are some talented teenagers to keep an eye on.
Dan Davies (OVR 52) and Ryan Austin (OVR 54) are the most promising in the original squad, so make sure to track their progress.
Transfer Market
Starting budget: £2.9 million
Who should go?
It's painful to say after watching the "Welcome to Wrexham" series on Disney +, but goalkeepers Rob Lainton (OVR 61) and Christian Dibble (OVR 58) are surpluses to requirements with the squad boasting four GKs.
Reece Hall-Johnson (OVR 59) and Liam McAlinden (OVR 59) are also in a similar situation with several players ahead of them in the pecking order.
Loans
After the sale of four players, you won't want to be loaning out any more players just yet.
Who to Sign
Your wing-backs are among the lowest-rated players in the starting XI, so you may want to bring in some reinforcements.
Pace and energy are key requirements for this position, so we are looking for players with good pace and stamina attributes.
Exeter's Josh Key (OVR 65) is a solid option on the right with 85 Pace and 89 Stamina, although he may cost about half of your transfer budget!
On the left side, Congolese defender Morgan Poaty (OVR 66) will cost a similar fee.
Transfer Targets (RWB/LWB)
Player | Age | Club | Cost | Wage | OVR | POT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Josh Key | 22 | Exeter | £946k | £2k | 65 | 71 |
Joris Moutachy | 24 | Chamois | £860k | £2k | 65 | 70 |
Kim Bo Seop | 24 | Incheon | £796k | £860 | 64 | 70 |
Manuel Thurnwald | 23 | Rheindorf Altach | £860k | £3k | 65 | 70 |
Diallang Jaiyesimi | 24 | Charlton | £946k | £3k | 65 | 70 |
Morgan Poaty | 24 | Seraing | £946k | £3k | 66 | 70 |
There also needs to be some added depth to your midfield ranks, so a couple of promising youngsters can really boost your squad.
Southampton's Romeo Lavia (OVR 62) could be an astute loan addition to the club.
On a permanent deal, Abdoulaye Kamara (OVR 60) or Bartug Elmaz (OVR 62) are exciting options that can remain in your starting XI for years to come.
Transfer Targets (CDM/CM)
Player | Age | Club | Cost | Wage | OVR | POT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Romeo Lavia | 18 | Southampton | £1m | £2k | 62 | 83 |
Tim Iroegbunam | 19 | QPR (on loan) | £1m | £6k | 63 | 82 |
Abdoulaye Kamara | 17 | Borussia Dortmund | £667k | £688 | 60 | 82 |
Duccio Degli Innocenti | 19 | Empoli | £753k | £817 | 61 | 81 |
Bartug Elmaz | 19 | Marseille | £839k | £3k | 62 | 81 |
Brahim Toure | 18 | Caen | £817k | £430 | 62 | 80 |
Board Expectations
Well, this is a surprise! The board see Brand Exposure as a very low priority despite sponsor deals with TikTok!
Continental Success and Financial targets are also seen as low priorities.
Youth Development is a medium priority, so you will want to invest in a youth scout or two.
Your task is to take Wrexham to the top tier of English football, so unsurprisingly Domestic Success is a high priority for the board.