Wrexham’s €40m bid rejected: Lyon star snubs ‘Hollywood fairytale’

28 Sept 2026 11:53 BST | 2 min read

Ryan Reynolds, Wrexham, 2026/27 — © IMAGO

Robin Bairner | Chief Editor

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Czech Republic international attacker Pavel Sulc has revealed that Wrexham made a €40 million offer to sign him from Lyon in the summer – but that he did not want to move to the side co-owned by Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.

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Sulc played a prominent role as Lyon finished fourth in Ligue 1 last season, supplying 11 goals and three assists in 27 league matches, and that form attracted Wrexham’s interest in the summer.

The Championship side were unsuccessful in landing the 25-year-old, despite Lyon’s financial issues pushing him towards an exit.

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Wrexham were willing to smash their transfer record to sign Sulc in the summer, with reports of a €40m bid arriving from the Welsh outfit.

“I asked my agents if they would only tell me really serious things, not suggestions or rumours,” he told Seznam Zpravy.

“Lyon also played a crucial role in this as they had to consider the amount of the offer. But no bids seemed high enough to sell me. Wrexham offered the most.”

Sulc did not want to be disparaging about the Welsh side but admitted it was not an offer that interested him.

“Honestly? Wrexham is a cult club with a Hollywood fairytale story, I didn't feel like going to the Championship or a small town in Wales. I hope that doesn't sound too condescending.”

Instead, it was an offer from Juventus that attracted the 25-year-old.

“When Juventus called, I was a bit dreamy,” he admitted. “Great club, fantastic history, beautiful stadium, Italy, big Czech footprint. That's something that my girlfriend Natali and I would definitely like a lot. If the clubs agreed, I certainly wouldn't be against it. But the offer wasn't high enough, so it was over. I was still focused on Lyon the whole time, to be as valuable as possible.”

Wrexham still chasing Premier League dream

While Sulc discussed Wrexham’s ‘Hollywood fairytale’, owners Reynolds and McElhenney are still pushing to complete their ambition of reaching the Premier League.

“Believe us when we say, we want to win the Championship, go to the Premier League, become the best, because that is the entire endeavour of what football is about,” McElhenney told the Men In Blazers podcast in August.

“But it's not just winning. It's about becoming the best version of yourself on a day-to-day basis.”

Wrexham have started the Championship season modestly and lie 14th in the table at the first international break.

With just nine goals scored in eight games, they have lacked the attacking output that Sulc could potentially have provided, yet the Czech has made it clear they will have to find another solution if they are to achieve their ambition of playing Premier League football.