Wrexham have moved to the brink of sealing a headline-grabbing transfer for Sunderland goalkeeper Anthony Patterson in a deal set to smash the club’s transfer record. The 26-year-old keeper is due to undergo a medical on Monday after the two clubs reached an agreement following lengthy talks over the summer.

A landmark agreement for the Red Dragons

Phil Parkinson’s team continue to press ahead with their ambitious rise through the English football pyramid, with the North Wales side agreeing an £8 million deal with Sunderland for goalkeeper Patterson, according to talkSPORT.

The transfer underlines Wrexham’s intent as they gear up for another demanding Championship campaign, showing that the Hollywood-backed club are prepared to spend heavily in order to bring in elite-level talent.

Patterson, who has been on the long-term radar of the recruitment staff at the Racecourse Ground, was given permission to discuss personal terms and complete his medical after the Black Cats accepted the sizeable offer.

Wrexham’s new record signing

The proposed £8m fee will make Patterson the costliest signing in Wrexham’s history, comfortably surpassing the previous record of £7.5m that the club paid to bring in striker Nathan Broadhead only a year ago.

A graduate of Sunderland’s renowned academy, Patterson came through the ranks before establishing himself as the club’s clear first-choice goalkeeper during their successful 2021-22 promotion season.

His outstanding display at Wembley Stadium, where he made two crucial saves in the play-off final win over Sheffield United, secured his place as a fans’ favourite at the Stadium of Light before he recently slipped down the pecking order under the new set-up.

Championship experience and added competition

Patterson arrives with strong Championship pedigree, having been a dependable figure in the second tier for a number of seasons. However, his progress on Wearside stalled after Robin Roefs arrived a year ago, with the English goalkeeper losing his place as the regular starter.

In search of consistent first-team football, Patterson spent the second half of last season on loan at Millwall, where he made 16 appearances and helped the London club cope with the pressure of a play-off semi-final against Hull City.

Patterson’s arrival is set to spark an intriguing contest for the number one spot at the Racecourse Ground. He joins a goalkeeping unit that already includes Danny Ward and Arthur Okonkwo, both of whom played prominent roles during the previous campaign.

Aiming for the Premier League dream

Although Wrexham enjoyed a successful season overall, there were still concerns over their defensive solidity, with as many as 17 teams in last season’s Championship posting a better defensive record than the combined 65 goals conceded by Okonkwo and Ward.

With fresh EFL rules giving more teams a pathway into the post-season, Wrexham are keen not to leave anything to chance. The club ended last term just two points short of the play-off places, and the expanded format now means the teams finishing seventh and eighth will also get an opportunity to fight for promotion. Even so, the ambition at the Racecourse Ground remains to secure an automatic promotion place and avoid the uncertainty of the play-off eliminators.