DEAN KEATES says the takeover of the club and subsequent investment will enable Wrexham to compete with the National League “big hitters” in the January transfer window.

Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney are set to take control at The Racecourse imminently with the actors vowing to invest £2million immediately.

That financial backing will give Wrexham’s promotion challenge a boost and enable Keates to bring in the calibre of player that he would not previously have been able to sign.

“There is no denying that we are going to get offered players that you wouldn’t have foreseen playing for this football club purely because of the takeover,” said Keates.

“Everybody knows that we are fan owned and we don’t pay a king’s ransom so we possibly wouldn’t have been somebody’s first choice.

“Now with the takeover going through, we are probably higher up people’s pecking list.

“What we have had in place over the years is we have always been stable at the football club; even though they have not been paid the largest wages in the division, players have always been guaranteed when they come in that they get paid and we have done things properly.

“Now we can start competing with the big-hitters in the division and going forward, it gives us that opportunity now to start offering higher salaries out to players.”

Despite money being made available, Keates insists he will spend wisely and only bring in players that will go straight into the starting line-up.

“We are looking at adding a few acquisitions to the squad to help take us forward,” said Keates.

“We are in a position now where we can possibly attract a different calibre of player that we couldn’t have previously due to the investment coming into the football club, whilst still making sure we get the right players and the right characters that we need in the changing room.

“It won’t be a case of signing players for the sake of. It will be ones that I feel will come in and go straight into the starting XI.

“From the conversations I have had, it is not going to go silly. It is going to be run properly as it has been previously under fan ownership.

"They are not going to come in and just start throwing money around.”

Keates is unlikely to strengthen his squad until the takeover is completed but he has compiled a list of targets.

“It is not fully holding me up,” said Keates. “I have already had conversations and compiled lists, getting possibilities together and targets.

"I have been in contact with agents and seeing how the land lies with players’ situations.

"I expect things to happen as soon as the takeover goes through.”