Wrexham's Premier League bid: Crazy or credible?

Wrexham missed out on the Championship play-off places by two points last season; are they better placed to make the leap this time? Sky Sports assesses their chances! Watch Cardiff City vs Wrexham on Monday, live on Sky Sports Football; kick-off 8pm

“We've come a long way in five years". A post from Ryan Reynolds back in May, reflecting on another touchstone of his Wrexham revolution: the club's best finish in their 162-year history. "We have so much to be proud of, Reds".

A reminder of the club's elevated standing in the shape of a pyramid was pictured below the text, or rather, a veiled petition for patience after narrowly missing out on last season's Championship play-offs.

The ambition of Wrexham's larger-than-life project has endured plenty of limits along its unrelenting route. Progression did not happen immediately; it took three attempts just to escape the stranglehold of non-league football. But prospects still remain on a rather remarkable trajectory.

A historic third successive promotion meant a stab at the second-tier last term, and after a slower-than-expected start, Wrexham did eventually morph into play-off contenders. They missed the mark by two points and one place. The side that beat them to that spot (Hull City) now play in the Premier League.

By powers of unsophisticated deduction, those margins put Wrexham close to achieving similar success. Except football, most of the time, does not support regular prognostication. Wrexham's net spend last summer was the highest of all 24 Championship clubs, and yet the Premier League Promise Land remains frustratingly out of reach.

Not one of Reynolds' most catchy Hollywood titles but one that has merit.

As the Wrexham co-owner was trying to explain when discussing the club's strategy for squad building to fans recently, most of the remodelling was done last year. As a reminder: Wrexham's net spend was higher than Chelsea's in summer 2025 - and seven other top-flight sides.

"Like a home renovation show... this episode is about making the kitchen work better rather than doing a whole-house renovation," Reynolds maintains.

The work back then was prudent. Seven of last summer's 13 signings are regular internationals and six have Premier League experience, while a large cash injection into The Racecourse Ground for a new stand to help meet unprecedented ticket demand suggests thought is being put into long-term growth strategy.

Reynolds and co-owner Rob Mac, sticking with the renovation analogy, have built terrific foundations from which to prosper. Wrexham's Disney -documented journey continues to draw mass global appeal, making them one of the most commercially attractive clubs in the EFL. Time, now, to spruce up the interiors.

Phil Parkinson has a team of workhorses but not yet a team of world-beaters. Only one Wrexham representative featured in last season's EFL team of the year (Callum Doyle).