Wrexham to sign player who clashed with England star and sparked fury with controversial act

Wrexham are reportedly set to break their transfer record to sign a player who was involved in a controversial clash with England star Kyle Walker. The Welsh side, backed by Hollywood actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, are said to have agreed a deal for Empoli left-back Liberato Cacace for an initial £2.16million (€2.5m), with the fee expected to rise once bonuses and add-ons are taken into account.

The New Zealand international has played in Serie A for the last three-and-a-half years, racking up 74 appearances since first arriving on loan from Belgian team Sint-Truiden in January 2022. Empoli were relegated from the Italian top tier at the end of last season but Cacace has been linked with several clubs at that level this summer, including Cagliari, Pisa and Cremonese.

However, according to Sky Sport Italia, Wrexham have won the battle to secure his services following their recent promotion to the Championship. If confirmed, it would top the £2m the Red Dragons forked out to acquire Reading striker Sam Smith back in January.

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Details of the potential transfer have emerged in the same week Wrexham are due to play Cacace's former team Wellington Phoenix in a pre-season friendly in his hometown. The deal would be seen as a coup for the club as they prepare for life in the second tier, but the 24-year-old's career has seen several controversies.

Cacace's clash with Walker occurred as Empoli suffered a 2-0 home defeat to AC Milan in February. Walker lined up for Milan after joining from Manchester City on loan in January.

The Empoli defender was lucky to avoid being sent off after lunging into a heavy challenge on Walker, which left him writhing in pain on the pitch. Despite a VAR check, Cacace somehow managed to escape punishment entirely, much to the bemusement of those watching.

He also managed to anger Colombia fans in June 2019 after New Zealand lost to the South American team in the FIFA Under-20 World Cup. Cacace's Instagram account was showered with hundreds of insults and threats as he shushed Colombia's keeper after scoring in a penalty shootout which his side later went on to lose.

According to New Zealand news site Stuff, one Colombian fan posted: "Wipe your tears and go home with your mouth shut!" Meanwhile, Cacace was sent off following a match against Tunisia in the ACUD Cup international tournament in Egypt in March 2024.

He was shown a red card after getting into an exchange with Tunisia's Elias Achouri. All Whites coach Darren Bazeley described the sending off as unfair after the game.

"I think it's harsh," he said. "The referee sent their player off. They were pretty competitive people, and Libby's said 'bye bye.'"

Despite being involved in some fiery incidents, Cacace also has some impressive achievements under his belt. In 2024, he was nominated for inclusion in The FIFA Best Men's XI in a list of the world's greatest defenders.

He was featured alongside the likes of Real Madrid star Dani Carvajal, new Liverpool recruit Jeremie Frimpong and German international Antonio Rudiger. Cacace admitted to feeling surprised upon discovering his inclusion on the shortlist.

Speaking to FIFA.com, he said: "I went to bed early that night, and when I woke up the following morning I saw that I'd been tagged in various posts on Instagram. I was convinced it must've been photoshopped or it was some kind of joke.

"I clicked on the post more out of curiosity than anything else, and quickly realised it was real. I had to ask my friends and my agent for confirmation. I said to myself: 'How is this possible?'

"It's a huge privilege for me to have been nominated alongside some of the best players in the world. I'm sure all the other world-beaters who saw my name on the list thought: 'And who's this Cacace?'"

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