Wrexham favourites to end EFL exodus after marquee signing and owner promise

Wrexham were always going to be under huge pressure to win promotion ever since they acquired new Hollywood owners back in 2021.

Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney's profile, coupled with their grand ambitions for the club, means the National League was never meant to be the long-term setting. After missing out on promotion through the play-offs last season - they were beaten by eventual winners Grimsby in the semi-final - the Welsh side are hedging their bets on getting the job done in 2022-23.

That level of ambition as well as some impressive additions in the transfer market means it is little surprise Phil Parkinson's side are favourites with the bookmakers for next term. BetVictor have the Dragons as huge favourites to romp towards the title next season, installing them at 11/8 to finish top of the pile and replicate Stockport County from last year.

The next team on the list is Notts County who are priced at 7/1 with another former EFL stalwart, Chesterfield, ranked third at 8/1.

Reynolds and McElhenney have not been shy about their long-term aims, with the latter touching on what would be a remarkable rise to the Premier League, saying: "I don't understand why, if that you can theoretically get there - we clearly have the structure and the system potentially to allow for us to grow at scale - why not dream big?"

McElhenney was also quick to brush off the playoff disappointment with a heartfelt tweet to the club's fans, in which he promised: "We're just getting started," before ending his post with a nod to their global ambitions: "Up the Worldwide Reds."

The first step of that journey is to first re-establish Wrexham as an EFL club. Next season will be their 15th consecutive campaign in the fifth tier. Parkinson knows he is under big pressure to deliver this coming season and to that end he has made some canny signings this summer.

Elliot Lee represents a major coup after the 27-year-old agreed a three-year contract following his departure from Luton Town. Speaking after his unveiling, Lee referenced his former employers' rise from the fourth tier to the second with the clear aim to try and replicate that at Wrexham.

Lee, who spent last term out on loan at Charlton, said: "I'm absolutely delighted to sign. I'm so excited by the project at Wrexham; I've had a few chats with the manager over the last few weeks and I'm buzzing to get going now. I wanted to join somewhere that excited me - I had a few EFL offers but after hearing about the ambition of this club, it was Wrexham for me.

"I feel like I know what it takes to get promoted. We got back-to-back promotions at Luton; I joined them in League Two and left them in the Championship, so if I can do something similar at Wrexham I think we'll all be delighted."

As well as Lee, Parkinson has also brought in centre-back Jordan Tunnicliffe from Crawley and experienced goalkeeper Mark Howard from Carlisle.

Wrexham, who begin the campaign at home to Eastleigh on August 6, have major plans to redevelop the Racecourse Ground after the club completed the purchase of it earlier this summer. The club are also to be the subject of a documentary that will chart them on and off-the-field following Reynolds and McElhenney's takeover.