Saudi Arabia or Wrexham? Ben Tozer explains why the pull of Ryan Reynolds & Rob McElhenney is greater than the lure of riches in the Middle East
- Big names leaving European football
- Dragons making plenty of noise themselves
- Hollywood owners have club on the up
WHAT HAPPENED? A steady stream of top talent is leaving European football this summer, with many being tempted by the riches on offer in the Middle East. Cristiano Ronaldo started that trend, with the likes of Karim Benzema, N’Golo Kante, Ruben Neves and Kalidou Koulibaly following in his footsteps. There is the promise of more deals to come, but Tozer says a price cannot be put on excitement generated by Hollywood co-owners in North Wales and the ambitious project that continues to be pieced together at SToK Racecourse.
WHAT THEY SAID: Wrexham captain Tozer has told talkSPORT when asked where he would rather be: “The money is the money, of course. In Saudi Arabia, that is something that sets them and their families up for life and you can’t really begrudge them. But playing for this club is so exciting at the moment. It’s really on the up. The stadium sells out every week, we won a trophy last year, we are hoping to emulate that again this season. It’s on the up. All the noise around the club, whether you like it or you don’t, it’s exciting and positive. So it’s a great place to be and I’m thankful I’m here.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Wrexham claimed the National League title in record-breaking style last season, allowing them to return to the Football League for the first time in 15 years. They are set to open the 2023-24 campaign with a home date against MK Dons on August 5 – having first taken in friendly dates with Chelsea and Manchester United as part of a summer tour in the United States.
IN THREE PHOTOS:
WHAT NEXT? Reynolds and McElhenney have made a stunning impact at Wrexham on the back of their takeover in February 2021 – on and off the field – with more funds being made available in the current transfer window for marquee additions.