Ryan Reynolds tipped to turn Premier League star's head and break up 10-year relationship

Wrexham have been tipped to pull off a coup by securing the signature of Fulham captain Tom Cairney. The Red Dragons, owned by Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, are expected to spend big this summer after securing promotion from League One into the Championship.

Plymouth striker Ryan Hardie and Leicester goalkeeper Danny Ward have already been brought on board to bolster manager Phil Parkinson's squad. More arrivals are likely to follow in the coming weeks and Cairney is reported to be high on Parkinson's target list. Wrexham are said to have already made an approach for the 34-year-old midfielder, whose current contract at Craven Cottage expired at the end of June.

Talks are understood to have taken place between Cairney and Fulham over a one-year extension, but the Welsh side are offering a significant wage package and a better chance of playing time. Cairney, who has earned two caps for Scotland, made 23 Premier League appearances for Fulham last season.

It remains to be seen whether he will extend his stay with the club into an 11th season, but ex-Fulham and Manchester United striker Louis Saha believes his head could be turned by Wrexham. And the Frenchman said their Hollywood connection could play a part in his decision.

"Players will always consider what benefits their career," Saha told Coin Poker. "For Tom Cairney, he needs guarantees that he'll have playing time, that he's part of a plan. He'll want to know the club are growing. For most players, they need to know where the club is headed and what they'll be offered.

"Of course, there's another aspect and you need to be convinced that the money is right, and that's important.

There's another aspect too, of visibility.

"Wrexham are not a traditionally big club but they're doing amazing things off the pitch, and the two owners are very commercially astute. It's a different kind of club, it's a new way of doing things, and they're doing them well."

Fulham confirmed last month that Cairney had been offered a new contract and will have been buoyed by the player indicating at the end of the season that he wanted to stay. Speaking to BBC Match of the Day after scoring in their victory over Brentford in May, Cairney said: "I've been through a lot here, through a lot with the fans. It was an incredible moment when I scored. It's a special bond.

"Nothing is sorted yet. Next week is my final game for Fulham. Hopefully it's not. In football, sometimes things go to the last minute and hopefully it's not my final time at Craven Cottage next weekend."

Whether Wrexham will be able to change his mind remains to be seen, but co-owner Reynolds recently pledged that the club will be bold in the transfer market this summer.

Speaking on the fan podcast, the Deadpool star said: "We're coming to win. I can't give you a dollar figure, but I can tell you that we are going to be as aggressive as we can possibly be while being mindful of sustainability. We have a stadium to revamp, but will still maintain its character and culture."