IRISH footballer James McClean has made a surprise return to his hometown club Derry City.
The 36-year-old winger has always harboured hopes of a return to the Brandywell, where he previously spent three years before a move to Premier League side Sunderland.
However, having only signed a new two-year contract with the Welsh side last summer, Wrexham respected McClean's wishes to return home during this transfer window and thanked him for his service.
"Fifteen years away, it's home time," McClean wrote on Instagram of his return to the Brandywell, where he will link up with his brother Patrick, who re-joined the club himself on Friday.
"This club means everything to me and I will give everything of me to try and help this club achieve success!"
In a separate post, McClean described his time at Wrexham as 'the most incredible and enjoyable couple of years' and called owners Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds 'incredible people'.
He also thanked the club's staff and players and said the fans 'welcomed me from day one, no politics, no media perceptions, just football'.
He added: "This club have been incredible and showed a real touch of class in making my move back home easy."
Career
McClean first joined Derry in 2008 following his release from Irish League side Institute, helping the Candystripes win promotion in 2010 to the Premier Division.
His form saw him sign for Premier League side Sunderland in 2011, the beginning of a 15-year spell in English league football.
After leaving Sunderland in 2013, he had spells in the Championship with Wigan and Stoke City either side of three seasons in the Premier League with West Brom.
He returned to Wigan in 2021, helping the Baggies win promotion to the Championship before moving to Wrexham in 2023.
McClean helped the Welsh side win promotion as runners-up in League Two in his first season.
The following season he was appointed captain and led them to promotion to the Championship, the club's third promotion in as many years.
He played 16 times in the second tier this season, with his last appearance for Wrexham coming on January 9 when he came off the bench to help them defeat Premier League side Sunderland in the third round of the FA Cup.
'A great servant'
"Wrexham AFC can confirm back-to-back promotion winner and first-team captain James McClean has left the club by mutual consent and will return to his hometown team, Derry City," read a statement from the Welsh club.
"The 36-year-old, who made 108 appearances for Wrexham and scored eight goals since signing in 2023, leaves with the club's best wishes and thanks for his immense contributions to our two promotions."
Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson added: "I had a good chat with Jimmy last week. The time is right for him and his family.
"He always wanted to settle back in his hometown and he has the opportunity to finish his career there.
"He's been a great servant to the club and we've really enjoyed working with him.
"He's been an important player over the last few years for us, with his drive, determination, mentality and his professionalism and we wish him and his family all the best."
Trophy ambition
Upon his unveiling at Derry, McClean said he intended to see out his career at the club and hoped to win silverware with the Candystripes, who have finished runners-up in three of the last four Premier Division seasons.
"I like challenges in my career and this is now probably one of the best challenges I get to take on," he said.
"This is the last club of my career, this is where I am ending my career.
"If I was to win a league title here and go out in that way, I couldn't write the script any better."
Derry boss Tiernan Lynch said the arrival of a player of McClean's pedigree would raise the bar at the club.
"I have been speaking to James since I came in, even then you were able to listen to the passion that he has for his club and for this city," he said.
"For my end and the team's end, it was a no brainer. What he has done in the game, it speaks for itself, it does not need me to tell them.
"However, what he is going to bring to our changing room, that experience and that discipline, I am absolutely delighted to get him in.
"It just raises the level for everything that we do. All you have to do is have a conversation with him to understand that.
"The big thing now is that we have to do the work."
See More: Derry City, James McClean, Wrexham
