Cardiff City host Wrexham in a Championship showdown between two clubs with big prospects this campaign. Ryan Reynolds is back on the trail for Premier League promotion after seeing his side come up just short in their return to the second tier last season.
Net Worth Comparison
Much has been made of the Hollywood actor's ownership in north Wales and his impact firing Wrexham up the EFL ladder. However, his finances pale in comparison to Cardiff owner Vincent Tan, who has owned the Bluebirds since 2010 and overseen two promotions to the top flight.
Reynolds is still relatively new to football ownership having only finalised his Wrexham takeover with Rob McElhenney in early 2021. However, the actor duo have put their money where their mouth is by helping to bankroll a slew of signings that led to three promotions in as many years.
Through his Hollywood career and a long list of savvy investments, Reynolds is estimated to have a personal net worth of around £258million. The Deadpool star had a reported 20 per cent stake in Aviation Gin, which was sold for approximately £450m in 2020, the year after T-Mobile's £1billion purchase of Mint Mobile, in which he was reported to have a 25 per cent share.
Reynolds has also elevated his earnings in the world of cinema through his production company, Maximum Effort. As well as granting him a larger percentage in any film and television works, the company also acts as the digital marketing agency for companies and brand deals linked to his name.
Tan's Business Empire
Meanwhile, Forbes has ranked Tan as the 29th richest man in Malaysia, boasting an estimated net worth of around £693m. Tan started out as an insurance agent but began to build his real fortune in the 1980s when he took over Berjaya Corp, turning it into a massive conglomerate with interests in many industries, ranging from the financial sector to property development and hospitality.
Tan has held numerous positions on the Berjaya board over the years and currently serves as an advisor to the company, which generated approximately £1.7bn in revenue last year. He also holds a 41 per cent stake in the Malaysian arm of convenience store company Seven Eleven, which produced £577m in 2025 revenue.
Controversial Tenure
Tan's tenure in the Welsh capital has been a rocky one despite ascending to the Premier League on two occasions. One of his most controversial moves was changing the club's home strip from blue to red, which represents prosperity in Malaysia, though this decision was later reversed.
He also had a public spat with former manager Malky Mackay relating to a lack of investment in the transfer market following their 2013 promotion. His decision to replace ex-head of recruitment Iain Moody with 23-year-old Alisher Apsalyamovby, a friend of his son who was on work experience at the time, also drew the ire of supporters.
Transfer Spending Contrast
Cardiff have been very frugal in the summer transfer window, spending only a few million to sign Jack Moylan and Nathan Trott from Lincoln City and Copenhagen, respectively. Wrexham have been less precious with their pennies and spent a total of £16m thus far recruiting Anthony Patterson (Sunderland), Danny Imray (Crystal Palace) and Ben Whiteman (Preston).
Monday's Welsh derby will go a long way to proving whose approach has been the more fruitful. And Reynolds in particular would no doubt revel in getting one over a rival in the hopes Wrexham can realise their Premier League dream this term.
