Wrexham are living the dream right now, with promotion to the Championship within their grasp. But, the future might not be as bright as we’d hope, according to Darren Bent.
We are nearing the end of the fourth season of the Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds era at Wrexham, and there’s a lot to celebrate within that short space of time.
Successive promotions from the National League and League Two sent the Red Dragons soaring into League One, and they’re gunning down another promotion at the first time of asking.
It’ll all come down to the final run-in and how Wycombe fare in the next nine games. We could see Wrexham strutting their stuff in the Championship next season, but how much longer can the fairytale actually last?
Darren Bent doesn’t think Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds have funds for Premier League
Discussing the situation on talkSPORT, former Premier League striker Darren Bent suggested that, with their combined net worth, the Wrexham owners have what it takes to make the club a success in the second tier, but shared concerns about what lies beyond that.
He said: “I know they’re worth loads, like 400million, but when does that become not enough? 400million in real life terms is a ridiculous amount of money, like stupid wealth. If they get to the Championship then all of a sudden 400million is still doable, but in the Premier League it’s nothing.”
When asked if that would mean Rob and Ryan would look to sell the club, Bent replied: “I hope they don’t do that after getting them all the way up, because how are [Wrexham] going to survive without them?”
Andy Goldstein added his thoughts, saying: “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 [them selling].”
Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds have invested heavily in Wrexham
We know Rob and Ryan have already put a lot of money into Wrexham — and it’s believed they have lost £20m, mainly by sinking funds into lofty wages along the way up the Football League ladder.
Of course, the club is now a commercial behemoth, at least for the level of football the Red Dragons are playing at. Various business ventures have not only raised the profile of the club but have left Wrexham in a position of immense profitability, if the owners were to sell up, that is.
According to finance expert, Adam Williams, however, Rob and Ryan are ready to be ‘aggressive’ when it comes to spending in the Championship, if and when the Red Dragons get there. It’s thought they could spend up to £39m without impeding Profitability and Sustainability Rules.
That’s great news for the immediate future, but Bent does have a point. The Premier League is a completely different ball game, financially speaking, and Rob and Ryan would not be able to fund that dream all by themselves.
Thankfully, there would be plenty of people queuing up to invest in Wrexham, and anyone coming into the club would be foolish to try and push the Hollywood duo aside. If you ask us, Rob and Ryan are here for the long-term.