Ryan Reynolds backs risky £25m transfer strategy as Wrexham make bold Premier League push

Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac have sanctioned an eye-watering potential transfer spend at Wrexham this summer, breaking their transfer record again after snapping up Nathan Broadhead

Wrexham have made a bold statement about their Championship ambitions by securing the services of Nathan Broadhead. The Wales international’s move from Ipswich on a four-year deal was announced on Thursday.

The transfer is believed to be worth an initial £7.5million, potentially rising to as much as £10m with add-ons, according to reports. The 27-year old forward is the ninth new face brought in by manager Phil Parkinson during the summer transfer window.

Wrexham’s Hollywood owners, Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac, have given the green light for significant spending following the club’s promotion from League One in April. Their spree began with the relatively modest acquisition of striker Ryan Hardie from Plymouth for £700,000 in mid-June.

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Goalkeeper Danny Ward then joined on a free transfer from Leicester, followed by Empoli left-back Liberato Cacace for around £2.2m, which could rise to £4m in the future. Midfielder George Thomason was next to arrive from Bolton for £1.2m, with forward Josh Windass signing on a free after leaving Sheffield Wednesday.

Nottingham Forest midfielder Lewis O’Brien was added to Wrexham’s squad for a reported fee of £3m that could eventually increase to £5m. Defender Conor Coady from Leicester and striker Kieffer Moore from Sheffield United were snapped up for £2m each just before the season opener at Southampton.

The signing of Broadhead marks the third time this summer that the Red Dragons have smashed their transfer record. Wrexham’s potential expenditure so far totals a staggering £25m, with initial fees amounting to around £18.5m.

The hefty sum places Wrexham amongst the top spenders in the second tier during the current transfer window, as Parkinson aims to assemble a team capable of challenging in the upper echelons of the league.

Reynolds and Mac have made no secret of their ultimate ambition: to guide Wrexham to the Premier League and eventually clinch the title. Mac, who recently applied to change his surname from McElhenney, has also stated that he won’t be content with consolidation.

However, Wrexham’s ambitious spending spree does pose a risk in a league governed by Profit and Sustainability rules (PSR). The club’s CEO, Michael Williamson, recently shed some light on Wrexham’s transfer strategy.

The ex-Inter Milan executive disclosed that the owners prefer to keep their distance when it comes to the nitty-gritty details.

Speaking in an interview with the Telegraph, Williamson said: “They know what they know and know what they don’t know and are not afraid to admit it. They’re very refreshing, because they are supportive, they’re engaged, but they do not try to micromanage or get too involved.”

When planning their latest transfer budget, the chief executive presented the duo with various scenarios, including budgets for survival, a mid-table finish, and competitiveness. Showing their ambitious streak, Reynolds and Mac are reported to have questioned him about what it would take to secure a top-two spot, guaranteeing automatic Premier League promotion.

Williamson revealed their verdict was: “Let’s be competitive and see where we end up.” He added: “If we can find ourselves in that position towards the back end of the season, I give us a very good shot of being in the play-offs. And then, ultimately, if we’re in the play-offs, I give us a very good shot of getting promoted.”

So, just how risky is Wrexham’s considerable spending spree? In their corner is the club’s robust financial standing after recording a remarkable annual turnover of £26.7m for the financial year ending June 2024.

The accounts cover a period whilst they were playing in League Two and was largely down to the worldwide spotlight brought by their famous owners. The popularity of the Welcome to Wrexham documentary series and profitable sponsorship agreements also played their part.

Although Wrexham still recorded a deficit of £2.7m during that period, PSR regulations permit Championship sides to lose £39m across a three-year period, working out at £13m annually. They’re not entirely dependent on Reynolds and Mac’s financial clout either, with the New York-based Allyn family also offering significant support.

However, some concerns have been raised about whether they’re getting bang for their buck. In the case of Broadhead, they splashed out a hefty sum for a player in the final year of his contract at Ipswich.

There’s also scepticism about the calibre of some of their new recruits. Former Wales striker Iwan Roberts reckons they’ve paid too much for Conor Coady, arguing his prime years are behind him.

On the BBC’s Feast of Football podcast, Roberts said: “He (Coady) hasn’t done a thing at Leicester for two years. If you ask any Leicester fan if they will lose sleep over losing Conor Coady, and they’ve got £2million for him, they will say that no, they won’t.

“He hardly kicked the ball in the season when they won the Championship. Last season, he was involved in 22 Premier League games in the second-worst defence in the league. I think he’s past his prime.”

However, Wrexham can point to their recent hat-trick of promotions from the National League to the Championship as proof that their transfer strategy has been successful so far. Whether it continues to pay off in the second tier remains to be seen.

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