Mansfield Town’s pursuit of re-signing former loan defender Lewis Brunt has come to an end, as the Leicester City player has chosen to join Wrexham instead, for an undisclosed fee. Brunt, who played a significant role in Mansfield’s promotion to League One, was highly regarded by Stags manager Nigel Clough. Despite Mansfield’s efforts, including a rejected bid for Brunt from Leicester City, negotiations stalled due to differences in valuation and financial terms.
Speaking previously, Clough expressed the club’s determination to secure Brunt, mentioning the possibility of a loan deal if a permanent transfer wasn’t feasible. “We put a bid in which was rejected and unfortunately we might be too far apart in terms of their valuation and what we can pay,” Clough stated. “But we will keep trying with it and we always have the loan option as well. Negotiations are ongoing. We are certainly not ruling him out. He remains our number one target. He has only had the one season in League Two and did very well.”
Meanwhile, Brunt, aged 23, has signed a three-year contract with Wrexham, marking his move to the Racecourse Ground. He becomes Wrexham’s second Premier League recruit this summer, following the signing of Arsenal goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo.