Ex-Prem gamers be part of Wrexham for high-stakes match with mega cash prize
Wrexham are set to bolster their squad with seven ex-Premier League stars for an upcoming pre-season competition.
The club will field an alternate team, dubbed ‘Wrexham Red Dragons’, in the imminent TST seven-a-side tournament in North Carolina this month. It will feature a blend of current first-team players, club legends and a selection of random former Premier League players – with six confirmed to play.
A whopping $1million prize is up for grabs at the seven-a-side tournament, where matches are only 40 minutes long. With numerous European football teams sending squads to the US east coast, the action kicks off on Wednesday.
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Group games are scheduled for June 5-6, with teams divided into 12 groups of four. Thirty-two teams will advance from the group stage to the knockout rounds.
Big names like Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, Inter Milan, Villarreal, West Ham and Burnley have all sent strong teams to compete, alongside teams owned by ex-Premier League stars Sergio Aguero and Nani, reports the Mirror.
Who would you like to see join the tournament? Let us know in the comments section below
(Image: PA)
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Wrexham Red Dragons have revealed current players Mark Howard and Scott Butler are part of the travelling squad, joined by former Premier League player and current coach David Jones. Here are the six other ex-Premier League stars joining the team.
Maynor Figueroa
Former Wigan and Hull City left-back, Figueroa scored one of the Premier League’s greatest goals of all-time, hitting the back of the net from his own half in a quick free-kick.
George Boyd
Ex Nottingham Forest, Hull City, Burnley, Sheffield Wednesday and Peterborough United midfielder, Boyd is another left-footer with a powerful shot who joins up with Wrexham.
Roger Espinoza
The former Wigan Athletic and Honduran National Team defensive midfielder spent the last eight years of his career in MLS, and will join up with Wrexham for the tournament.
(Image: Rich Linley – CameraSport via Getty Images)
Gary Hooper
Ex Celtic, Norwich and Sheffield Wednesday goalscorer Hooper has had an impressive goalscoring record throughout his careers – being the only player in the history of the sport to score in the top five English leagues, Champions League and Europa League. He too will play for Wrexham.
Bradley Johnson
Former Leeds United and Norwich City Premier League midfielder, Johnson, only retired from professional football a few weeks ago. He has also accepted to play for the Red Dragons after spending the previous season with Derby County.
Elliott Bennett
Hooper and Johnson’s former teammate at Norwich City, Bennett, played 33 games in League One last season with Shrewsbury. And, should he impress, he could even earn himself a move to the first-team.
