Manchester United’s first pre-season friendly of the summer features a reunion, with former academy captain Matty James lining up in Wrexham’s midfield.
With the semi-finals of the 2026 World Cup about to kick off, Manchester United will be without several first-team players.
Even United’s players who have been eliminated in the earlier rounds of the World Cup have yet to link up with the squad, with training resuming at Carrington last Thursday.
That means Michael Carrick will have a limited squad for Saturday’s match against Wrexham in Helsinki. Still, this fixture also marks a special occasion for Matty James, who came through United’s academy before leaving the club in 2012.
This is how Man United lined up vs Wrexham when the sides last met in 2023
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What happened to Matty James after leaving Man Utd?
James was highly thought of at United after making his first appearance for the U18s as a 14-year-old in 2005, but he was never given a first-team debut.
Leaving United for Leicester City, along with Richie De Laet, James became a key figure under Nigel Pearson to help the Foxes win the Championship title and achieve Premier League promotion.
At the end of the following season, James ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and missed Leicester City’s incredible Premier League-winning season in 2015/16.
James’ recovery consisted of loan spells at Barnsley and Coventry City, but he then formed a reunion with Pearson by signing a permanent deal with Bristol City.
Fast-forward to now, and James is playing for Wrexham in the Championship. In October 2024, he signed a short-term deal at the Welsh club, but he clearly made a positive impression to land a longer-term contract just five months later.
James has kept his prominent role in Wrexham’s midfield after jumping from League One to the Championship, despite his age (34) and injury struggles.
The prospect of playing against United on Saturday will excite every player in the Wrexham dressing room, but there is a real nostalgia factor behind the fixture for James.
GRV Media journalist Josh Barker explains there is a good chance James will play on Saturday.
“Pre-season does mean there will be plenty of rotation as [Phil] Parkinson tries to get everyone fit, but I imagine James will have a key role this weekend and moving forward, especially after being given another contract extension this year.”
- ⚡️ NEWS IN BRIEF
- Manchester United take on Wrexham in their first pre-season friendly of the summer on Saturday
- Wrexham midfielder Matty James captained United at youth level
- James has shown resilience to make a name for himself at Bristol City before doing the same at Wrexham, overcoming a nasty ACL injury he suffered at Leicester City
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Wrexham face Man Utd with pre-season preparations already well underway
Unlike United, Wrexham have already played one pre-season friendly this summer.
This means they are further ahead than United in their pre-season preparations. It also bodes well for Wrexham that, unlike United, they have most of their squad available.
Wrexham began their pre-season tour in Europe with a celebration of Wisla Kraków’s 120th anniversary, which ended in a scoreless draw.
James played the first half before being replaced at half-time.
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