Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney spark Wrexham concerns over net worth and investment

Concerns have been expressed regarding the sustainability of Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney's financial support for Wrexham AFC. The Hollywood pair took over the Welsh club in February 2021, with a hefty initial investment of £2million.

Under Phil Parkinson's leadership, the Red Dragons have achieved consecutive promotions from the National League and League Two and are now eyeing a third promotion from League One. According to Celebrity Net Worth, Reynolds and McElhenney have a combined fortune of $400m (£309m), thanks to their acting careers and smart business ventures. However, as Wrexham approach the Championship, there are increasing worries about how far their funds will stretch.

Reynolds and McElhenney have set their sights on reaching the Premier League, where ownership usually involves billionaires, not millionaires. The conversation was broached on talkSPORT, where ex-Spurs and Aston Villa striker Darren Bent put the issue into perspective during a debate on the League One promotion battle.

The former England international said: "I know they're worth loads, like 400million, but when does that become not enough? 400 million in real-life terms is a ridiculous amount of money, like stupid wealth. If they get to the Championship, then all of a sudden, 400 million is still doable, but in the Premier League, it's nothing."

He added: "I hope they don't do that (sell the club) after getting them all the way up because how are they going to survive without them?".

Wrexham's owners haven't been idle in strengthening the club's financial position, having welcomed new minority investors in October last year. The Allyn family from New York are known for previously owning the medical device enterprise Welch Allyn before its lucrative sale in 2015 for a sum exceeding $2bn.

They have been making significant cash contributions to Wrexham, including the £14.3m share issue disclosed this month. The popularity of the 'Welcome to Wrexham' documentary has significantly increased the club's earnings and drawn in major sponsorship contracts from global companies like United Airlines and Meta Quest.

However, talkSPORT host Andy Goldstein raised the possibility that Reynolds and McElhenney might be lured into selling the club to cash in on their investment. He said: "It's all about profit. How much did they buy Wrexham for? I'm guessing it's nowhere near the amount it's worth now if they get into the Championship. If they make 300million each over five years then I could see it happening."

The value of Wrexham has surged massively since Reynolds and McElhenney took over, with a Bloomberg report suggesting the club is now worth a mind-blowing £100m – a colossal 4,900 per cent increase on their initial investment. In contrast, football finance expert Kieran Maguire estimates a valuation ranging from £20m to £30m, but that hinges on the celebrity owners' continued involvement.

Speaking in November last year, the University of Liverpool lecturer said: "Wrexham are in a unique position because the owners are a bigger brand than the club itself. I've not seen anything like that before, but Ipswich did leverage a wee bit off the Ed Sheeran factor.

"He's been their sponsor and he's added something to merchandise sales with their shirts. Could you get £20m or £30m? Only, in my view, if Reynolds and McElhenney are involved."

Wrexham find themselves in a strong position, sitting third in League One, level with Wycombe in second place on points but trailing due to goal difference. Parkinson's team are preparing for another pivotal match this Saturday, battling it out against fellow promotion hopefuls Stockport at the Racecourse Ground.