Man Utd vs Wrexham? Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac's side in talks with Red Devils over pre-season friendly next year

The Athletic report that United and Wrexham may do battle once again in pre-season next summer, with the Red Devils no doubt hoping to come out on top at the second time of asking, after their 2023 defeat in front of a record 34,248 crowd at Snapdragon Stadium.

Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac’s side will be acutely aware of the lucrative business opportunity which another friendly against United represents, as Wrexham look to increase their ever-growing global profile in the game. The Red Dragons currently sit in 14^th place in the Championship, just four points off the play-offs and harbouring ambitions of forcing their way into the top six come the end of the season.

Meanwhile, United are sixth in the Premier League, level on points with fifth-placed Chelsea, and will hope to have regained their spot in Europe by the time a prospective pre-season friendly with Wrexham comes around.

The last time the two clubs faced off, Wrexham striker Paul Mullin was seriously injured in an incident which resulted in him suffering a punctured lung following a challenge by United goalkeeper Nathan Bishop, with Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson describing it as a “clumsy, reckless challenge”.

Mullin is somewhat of a modern-day Wrexham legend after scoring 110 goals in 172 matches for the club, and spear-headed the Hollywood-backed outfit’s rise up the Football League. Now 31, he is out on loan at Wigan Athletic in League One.

Wrexham and Man United last did battle in a competitive clash back in 1995, in an FA Cup Fourth Round tie which ended 5-2 to the Red Devils at Old Trafford. Wrexham were in the third tier at the time and took a shock 1-0 lead into half-time, before Dennis Irwin, Ryan Giggs and Brian McClair were all on the score-sheet in a comeback win for the Premier League giants.

Should Wrexham’s current club trajectory continue as it has been in recent seasons, Reynolds and Mac will dream of facing United in a competitive scenario once again – maybe even in the league, if their ultimate goal of reaching the top flight is realised.

As Wrexham continue to grow on and off the pitch, it was revealed earlier this week that the Welsh outfit and their A-list owners have sold a minor stake in the club to Apollo Sports Capital. The American sports investment firm - who recently bought a majority stake in Atletico Madrid - will join the club’s ownership and contribute to their ambitions of seeing the side establish themselves in the Championship and sustain themselves in preparation for a push to gain promotion to the Premier League. 

Wrexham have already gained three promotions from the National League to the second tier since Reynolds and Mac bought the club in 2021 and immediately injected £2million ($2.7m) into what became the shoots of a highly memorable run up the pyramid.

Manager Parkinson said of the latest investment, reported by BBC Sport Wales: "I think it's really positive news for the club. It helps the club moving forward and building a sustainable club for the future. It's a great, positive story. Everybody's looking forward to working with the new investors.

"Everything stays the same football-wise, but Michael [Williamson, club chief executive officer] has kept me informed over the last few weeks. I was aware that there was something going on a while ago," added Parkinson.

"It's about putting those building blocks in place for the short and long-term. This is another step towards that. We're a club that's building all the time, on and off the pitch, and this is another step in that direction."

Amidst the arrival of ASC as investors and the prospect of a friendly with Man United on the horizon, Wrexham’s future off the pitch continues to look in very healthy shape. On the pitch, the Red Dragons will look to push for a play-off place in the Championship and see where the remainder of the season takes them.