Is Ryan Reynolds about to buy a club in Brazil?! Wrexham co-owner responds to new takeover claim

Reynolds completed a stunning move into sports ownership early in 2021 when he and Rob Mac saw a takeover at Wrexham signed off. Few knew what to expect at that stage, but a remarkable journey has been enjoyed across five record-breaking years.

The Red Dragons have enjoyed a meteoric rise from the National League into the Championship, with collective sights now being locked on a place in the Premier League. Drama aplenty has been caught on camera for the award-winning ‘Welcome to Wrexham’ documentary series.

Reynolds and Mac are involved in other sporting ventures, with a stake held in the Alpine Formula 1 team as part of an investment group there, while professional and financial ties have been forged with Liga MX side Necaxa and Colombian outfit La Equidad, who have been rebranded as Inter Bogota.

Having made one move into the South American market, another has been mooted in Brazil at Santa Cruz. ESPN are, however, adamant that “no one from the club has been approached about a sale”.

They have now addressed that issue directly with Reynolds, as he told ESPN ahead of Wrexham’s dramatic FA Cup fifth-round defeat to Premier League giants Chelsea: “I'm interested in spending the rest of my life in Brazil, but not in buying a club. 

“No, I already have a lot to deal with here. And I'm very grateful and lucky to be able to do this. I think I'd rather do one thing well than 50 things badly. So, you know, I can visit Brazil without all the pressure that comes with owning a club.”

Reynolds will be making more trips to Brazil in the future, having thoroughly enjoyed the time that he has spent in that country so far. Word of Wrexham’s exploits has reached that part of the world, with the Red Dragons seeing A-list co-chairmen make them a global discussion point.

Reynolds added on spreading that word: “I was in Brazil in 2024, in the summer of 2024. And I was shocked to see how many people know about Wrexham, and not just know about it, but follow the club. And I think that's mainly because - and it's always been this way -there's a Wrexham everywhere. 

“There are 'Wrexhams' in Brazil. There are 'Wrexhams' all over the United States and Canada, where I'm from, and all over the world. I think people identify with it in that way. It's like football is a temple. It's a community centre for many people. And while it brings people together in such a beautiful way, it can also uplift an entire community.”

Reynolds will not be taking on the challenge of making a similar impact in Recife, with Santa Cruz being left to fend for themselves. More investments of faith and funds will be made at Wrexham in the not-too-distant future.

Phil Parkinson’s side sit inside the Championship top six at present, with play-off lottery tickets up for grabs. If they were to secure a fourth successive promotion and reach the Premier League, then more big money would need to be spent in the summer transfer window, with recruitment records already being broken on a regular basis at the Racecourse Ground.