THE fee remains debatable but Danny Ward will definitely be a record breaker at Wrexham - and could net the club close to £2million.

Welsh international Ward, who came through the youth ranks at hometown club Wrexham but never actually played for the Reds first team, has joined Leicester City from Liverpool for £12.5 million.

That means the 25-year-old, who left Wrexham for the Anfield club back in January 2012 for a fee in the region of £100,000, will net the club a seven-figure windfall for having what is believed to be a 15 per cent sell-on clause in the goalkeeper’s contract.

Ward had successful loan spells at Aberdeen and Huddersfield, who he helped clinch promotion to the Premier League in the 2016/17, and Wrexham reaped the rewards through more clauses in his contract after making his competitive debuts for Liverpool and Wales.

Wrexham received close to £1 million when midfielder Bryan Hughes left to join Birmingham City in 1997, but Ward’s transfer surpasses that figure, and Trust chairman Peter Jones couldn’t be happier.

“Brilliant news,” said Jones. “Whatever the fee is it is going to be used wisely and in the best interests of the football club going forward.

“We don’t want to squander it away but let’s wish Danny all the best of luck going forward with Leicester.

“It is quite ironic that in the record books, Danny becomes Wrexham’s biggest fee that we have received for a player.

“Bryan Hughes was the record with £800,000, I think Neil Taylor might have been a little bit more than him, but this is brilliant.

“It just shows that we are a club that people can go forward with and progress their careers with.”

Ward has signed a four-year deal with the Foxes, having fallen further down the Anfield pecking order following the world-record arrival of Brazil international Alisson.

Ward becomes the Foxes fourth signing of the summer transfer window, and will offer competition to Kasper Schmeichel and Eldin Jakupovic.

“I’m delighted to be here and I’m really looking forward to the future with this football club,” said the 25-year-old keeper.

“I’ve come here to develop my all-round game and hopefully help deliver some more success. The club has had that in recent years and hopefully there’s more to come in the future.”

Ward is set to link up with his new team-mates today for a training camp in Austria.

Foxes boss Claude Puel said on the club website: “I’m very happy to welcome Danny to Leicester City.

“Pre-season preparations have started well for us and with Danny joining the group, it will give us even more competition in the squad, which is crucial for us ahead of what will be another very competitive Premier League campaign.

Wrexham boss Sam Ricketts meanwhile is waiting to see if he will be given some of the cash.

“The club will have to be sensible and think of the long term future not just immediate success,” said Ricketts.

“But certainly I am sure that some will come my way.”

But Ricketts says the transfer of Ward once again shows how crucial it is to keep Wrexham’s youth department going despite the club operating in the fifth tier.

“This is why the club invests so heavily into the youth every year,” added Ricketts.

“The youth system runs at a big loss every year but because we are a community club, we want to keep that going.

“It is nice when something like this pays off with Danny Ward because it is a huge outlay every year with the youth.”