Steven Gerrard ready to take Wrexham job as Ryan Reynolds rues €80m failure

News

Tom Weber | Writer

Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard is keen to take charge of Championship side Wrexham in a bid to reignite his coaching career.

The Dragons are mulling over the future of legendary manager Phil Parkinson, who has overseen the club's Hollywood-funded climb from the National League to the second tier.

After three successive promotions, Wrexham's stunning rise came to a halt when the team finished just outside of the Championship playoffs last season. Nevertheless, the seventh-placed finish they achieved was the highest in the club's 162-year history.

Wrexham's Premier League ambitions were ultimately frustrated by a poor start to the season, which saw them win just six of their first 22 league matches. History is already repeating itself in the new season.

Wrexham's record through 10 games is mediocre at best: two wins, five draws and three losses. The Welsh club are stuck in 17th, six points outside of the playoffs and 10 off an automatic promotion spot. As a result, Parkinson is under pressure.

Gerrard to Wrexham?

TEAMtalk claims that "there are growing concerns behind the scenes" that the 58-year-old has taken the team as far as he can and that a fresh impulse from outside may be necessary to reach the Premier League promised land.

Given what Parkinson has achieved in his five years at the club, Hollywood owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac are understandably reticent to axe him. However, it is asserted that a failure to beat Preston North End today could spell doom for the club legend.

Although Wrexham are on solid financial footing because of their massive commercial revenues, there is no getting around the fact that they have spent an awful lot of money on new players and can't afford to stagnate.

Almost €80m has been shelled out on recruitment over the past three transfer windows, and they have had the biggest net spend in the Championship for the second year running because they don't sell players for large fees.

Should Parkinson indeed lose his job, Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard would be ready to step into the breach. The 46-year-old is keen on a return to management and is attracted by Wrexham's resources and Premier League aspirations.

In August, Reynolds made it clear that there is still a desire to become one of the best teams in the UK: "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," the actor said.

Such ambition appeals to Gerrard, who is looking for a convincing project that can reignite a fire inside him. His recent managerial career has been far from spectacular.

He led Scottish giants Rangers to an invincible Premiership title in 2021 but failed to leave a lasting impression at Premier League side Aston Villa and Saudi Pro League outfit Al-Ettifaq.

He left the latter role in January 2025 and has been out of a job since. After turning down a return to Rangers last year and reportedly "coming close" to taking the Burnley job this summer, Gerrard would jump at the chance to manage Wrexham.

Related stories:

€22m Chelsea signing approved by Lionel Messi

Arsenal serious about record-breaking signing after Champions League audition

Transfer Rumours: Michael Olise makes Arsenal decision as record-breaking demand revealed