Wrexham line up pre-season matches against Chelsea and Manchester United in the US
Manchester United and Chelsea are being lined up for blockbuster friendlies in the United States this summer – against non-league Wrexham.
Both the Premier League clubs have been offered games against Wrexham, who are owned by Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, in July as part of their pre-season tours of America.
Reynolds and McElhenney officially completed their takeover of the Welsh club two years ago and the club is fighting for promotion back to the Football League, after an absence of 15 years.
Wrexham are second in the National League and their famous owners have major plans for the future, with the games against two Premier League giants thought to be provisionally agreed.
Managed by former Sunderland, Bolton Wanderers and Charlton manager Phil Parkinson, it is understood that Wrexham are poised to face Chelsea at the Kenan Memorial Stadium in Chapel Hill, North Carolina on July 19.
Wrexham have then invited Erik ten Hag’s United to play a week later at the Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego. United are returning to the United States for the first time since 2018 and though the game is not finalised there is optimism that it will happen.
The matches only underline the serious ambition of Reynolds and McElhenney to turn Wrexham into a major force.
After setting up the RR McReynolds company in November 2020, the takeover of the club was completed in February 2021 and it has been two years of steady progress with big investment.
Wrexham have also been the subject of a highly-rated sports documentary entitled Welcome to Wrexham that is available to stream in the UK and Ireland on Disney+.
Last season, the club lost to Grimsby Town in the play-off semi-finals, and are still in the race for promotion this season.
In the FA Cup, they reached the fourth round for the first time in 23 years and took Championship club Sheffield United to a replay before losing at Bramall Lane.
On Saturday, they face Dorking Wanderers at home, five points behind National League leaders Notts County.
McElhenney, 45, is best known for his role as Ronald “Mac” McDonald on the FX/FXX comedy series It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia.
Reynolds, 46, is renowned for his 20th Century Fox X-Men films Deadpool and Deadpool 2. He was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2017.
