Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand turns back the clock to when Wrexham co-owner Ryan Reynolds wanted to recruit him as a player for the Welsh club.
Beyond the Hollywood takeover and the fairytale ascent from non-league football, there lie other factors that make Wrexham’s journey uniquely special. One such aspect is how two celebrity co-owners guided the club despite having little sporting knowledge to begin with.
Still, that’s what has given Wrexham AFC its current identity. Given the co-owners’ newness to football, the duo relied on making their own club heroes instead of turning to known football faces to help them rise from the bottom.
While players like Paul Mullin, Elliot Lee and Ollie Palmer were known EFL faces, their contributions to the Wrexham story have made them household names now.
As Rob & Ryan grew more experienced in football operations, the duo began signing veteran superstars, too. Whether it was Ben Foster’s arrival in March 2023 or securing James McClean for a couple of seasons, Wrexham have attracted several distinguished top-tier stars to the club.
These transfers have just been the tip of the iceberg among other high-profile names rumoured to be joining the club. At one point, co-owner Ryan Reynolds wanted to lure former Man United legend Rio Ferdinand to join Wrexham.
Ryan Reynolds tried to recruit Rio Ferdinand in summer 2024
In July 2024, Ryan Reynolds & actor Hugh Jackman were invited by Rio Ferdinand on his podcast Rio Ferdinand Presents. While the episode was filmed during the duo’s promotion of their upcoming film Deadpool & Wolverine, it had a distinctive sports context apart from the promotion.
Filmed during EURO 2024, the trio discussed about England and other nations’ chances in the tournament. Elsewhere in the conversation, they had an extensive talk about Wrexham’s up-and-rising story.
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During the talk, there came a highlight moment when Wrexham co-owner Ryan Reynolds jokingly tried to recruit Rio Ferdinand. As the latter expressed his admiration for Wrexham’s rise, Reynolds asked him straight up if the story moved him enough to get him to move to North Wales and play a part in Wrexham’s meteoric rise.
This question caught Ferdinand off guard, as he asked, “In what capacity are you looking for me to be recruited? “I can’t play no more.”
While the response made perfect sense for a long-retired legend like Ferdinand, the exchange spread like wildfire on social media. Recently, the Manchester United legend turned back the clock by sharing that clip across his Rio Ferdinand Presents channels.
Could Ferdinand have helped Wrexham’s story?
When this episode was filmed in the summer of 2024, Wrexham had recently gained promotion to League One. While Ferdinand hung up his playing boots long ago, the fact that he was still 44 could have fancied a dream possibility of him representing Wrexham.
With a Premier League career of over 500 appearances spanning 19 seasons, Ferdinand’s playing spell was the epitome of longevity. Though his only football role after retirement has been in punditry, maybe he could have played a cameo spell at Wrexham.
Wrexham were still a third-tier side at the time, and a short-term deal might have tempted Ferdinand, especially with the promise of an unforgettable welcome from the fans. If that had happened, Rio Ferdinand would’ve undoubtedly been the most illustrious player to grace the Wrexham story.
Coming to reality, Rio Ferdinand conceded he couldn’t contribute as a player anymore. While the Manchester United legend was generous enough to offer Ryan Reynolds a hand off the pitch, the Wrexham–Ferdinand link-up never came to fruition.
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