Bailey Cadamarteri opens up on the moment he thought his dream move to Wrexham had slipped away after a subpar performance in his audition while playing for the Owls.
Though it’s been two weeks since the transfer deadline shut, Wrexham newcomers are still finding their feet. Interestingly, each of the three signings is settling at their own speed.
Undeniably, the smallest adaptation phase has been for returnee Davis Keillor-Dunn. Then comes the Championship veteran, Zak Vyner. While he is yet to make a matchday or squad appearance, his experience and leadership skills herald that his Wrexham tenure will be a success.
Finally, there’s the unique situation of prodigy Bailey Cadamarteri. Being brought in on the eleventh hour of the deadline day, the former Owls starter is the newest and youngest of the three January signings.
With his inaugural matchday squad inclusion against Ipswich in the FA Cup, Cadamarteri has started laying the ground for his Wrexham debut. While that remains a matter of time, it wasn’t long ago that Cadamarteri felt his Reds move would never materialise.
Recently, speaking to That Wrexham Podcast, Bailey Cadamarteri made an honest admission that’d catch many fans offguard. After a subpar audition in the faceoff against Wrexham, he convinced himself that his rumours to the Reds would fall apart.
Bailey Cadamarteri expressed his thoughts after the Wrexham game, saying: “There were a few good bits in the game, but I thought after the game, oh, I ain’t getting the message after this game really.”
The 20-year-old detailed a crucial missed chance from the game, adding, “Probably should have gone low. I didn’t realize Arthur were 7 foot seven. So tried to go top corner and he saved it. But yeah, should have gone low, but yeah.”
Bailey Cadamarteri’s performance Vs Wrexham
As the 20-year-old prodigy himself admits, he didn’t have the best of games Vs Wrexham. By his standards, it was that subpar that he himself ruled out whether Wrexham would materialise their interest in him.
Fast forward to now, and Bailey Cadamarteri is a Wrexham player, poised for a successful spell. A club doesn’t casually part with £1m for a 20‑year‑old talent like him. His poor display against Wrexham that day had context, and that context explains why the club still invested.
Previously, Cadamarteri found himself in one of the most distressed Championship sides this season. It had a say on his individual performance despite him trying his best for the Owls against Wrexham.
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In the late January clash, Sheffield Wednesday failed to feed Cadamarteri enough chances to finish against Wrexham. Even then, the 20-year-old was credited with coming the closest to getting his name on the scoresheet for the Owls.
Notably, Jamal Lowe played a ball past Wrexham’s backline to Bailey Cadamarteri. The 20-year-old pounced on the ball and launched a power shot aiming at the top corner, but was denied by Arthur Okonkwo’s save.
Looking back, Cadamarteri now regrets not going for a low-drilled shot against a tall keeper like Okonkwo. However, it’s part and parcel of his learning and development to mature into a smart striker ahead.
What can be expected from Cadamarteri this season?
Wrexham’s handling of Bailey Cadamarteri suggests he is a long-term player for the club rather than an instant usable asset. Ever since his transfer fuss began, the 20-year-old has been seen as a cost-effective alternative to the ambitious Sidiki Cherif plan.
Cadamarteri’s name not being exclusively mentioned in the 23-man squad list substantiates this. While the forward is eligible to participate in every game(due to being born after 1st Jan 2004), hoping for considerable game-time for him isn’t a fair expectation this season.
That’s because Bailey Cadamarteri lies behind Parky’s forward options in Kieffer Moore, Sam Smith, Davis Keillor-Dunn and even Jay Rodriguez. If his move had gone through a bit earlier, a development loan on the deadline day wouldn’t have been surprising for him.
Given that it hasn’t happened, Cadamarteri is expected to continue his development at the Racecourse itself. While game time may be irregular, the prodigy will learn a lot from the club’s experienced players.
Come next season, he can be leaving on a loan to seek more first-team game time. Meanwhile, Wrexham ought to track his progress when Bailey Cadamarteri can be a considerable first-team choice in the higher tiers.
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