Will Wrexham & Birmingham reach the Premier League by 2030? Former EFL star assesses top-flight claims of 'ambitious' clubs with Ryan Reynolds, Rob McElhenney & Tom Brady on board

The race is on between two current League One rivals to secure themselves a standing among the elite of English football. Both have spent big while piecing together the most ambitious of projects, with neither shying away from lofty ultimate goals.

Birmingham are slightly better placed at present to bounce through the Championship, as a more established EFL outfit in recent times, but Wrexham have enjoyed a meteoric rise under the ownership of Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney – with a historic third-successive promotion on the cards.

Birmingham boast NFL legend Tom Brady among their investors and are closing in on the third-tier title this season. The obvious question is, with the Red Dragons and Blues aiming high, who will reach the Premier League first?

Quizzed on whether either will be at that level by 2030, former EFL star turned pundit David Prutton told Football League World: "I have absolutely no idea! Five years ago we were walking round in masks and not able to talk to people, so who knows where we are going to be.

"These two teams… Birmingham are seemingly on course to get into the Championship, Wrexham are not too far behind, but nowhere near as certain at this moment in time.

"Both have as decent a chance as any other team they are going to come up against in the Championship. Both are on financially sound footing with the take-overs, both look to be ambitious, highly-motivated clubs. Show me a team who is not exactly the same as that in the Championship! Yes, some are in less sound financial states, some will have better players, some will have a deeper history at the very top level.

"So going into that, the prediction for future is that I have absolutely no idea, but they have as good a chance as any of the multitude of very good football clubs that stand between them and the Premier League right now."

Birmingham sit nine points clear at the top of the League One table, while boasting two games in hand on second-placed Wrexham. The Red Dragons are three points in front of Wycombe, but the Chairboys also have a game in hand in what promises to be a thrilling fight to the finish.