{"id":21674,"date":"2026-01-27T00:22:01","date_gmt":"2026-01-27T00:22:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/eplvip.com\/index.php\/2026\/01\/27\/former-brazil-star-alexandre-pato-in-talks-over-sensational-takeover-of-efl-club\/"},"modified":"2026-01-27T00:22:01","modified_gmt":"2026-01-27T00:22:01","slug":"former-brazil-star-alexandre-pato-in-talks-over-sensational-takeover-of-efl-club","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/eplvip.com\/index.php\/2026\/01\/27\/former-brazil-star-alexandre-pato-in-talks-over-sensational-takeover-of-efl-club\/","title":{"rendered":"Former Brazil star Alexandre Pato in talks over sensational takeover of EFL club"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Alexandre Pato will retire in 2023 but is reportedly interested in taking over after watching League Two side Colchester United on Saturday.<\/h2>\n
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Alexandre Pato retired from football three years ago (Image: Kym Illman\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n
Alexandre Pato has negotiated a deal to buy League Two side Colchester United. The former Brazil international visited the club over the weekend to discuss a potential takeover with U’s owner and chairman Robbie Cowling.<\/p>\n
Pato has won 27 caps for Brazil and is best known in Europe for his six-year spell with AC Milan, who won Serie A in the 2010\/11 season. He also played for Brazilian clubs Internacional, Corinthians and S\u00e3o Paulo, as well as Villarreal, Orlando City and Chelsea, including a short loan spell in 2016.<\/p>\n
The 36-year-old forward retired three years ago and could take ownership. The Daily Gazette reports that Pato was a guest of Cowling, who are seeking to sell the club, on Saturday as they watched Colchester beat Fleetwood Town 2-1. He has held initial discussions with Cowling, but it is currently unclear what the investment will be.<\/p>\n
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read more: Michael Carrick interview canceled as Manchester United manager attends meeting with Sir Jim Ratcliffe<\/span><\/span>read more: FSG’s position on Arne Slott’s sacking appears to have been ‘leaked’ as pressure mounts on Liverpool<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
Mr Cowling has announced his intention to step down after nearly 20 years as owner and chairman of Colchester. Plans to buy the company from U.S.-based Lightwell Sports Group, led by American businessman Tim Foley, collapsed last summer, but efforts continue.<\/p>\n
The club is working with American consultant Mitchell B. Reese to find a buyer. Cowling said last year. “As I’ve said before, I want my final decision at the club to be the absolute best decision for me, and it’s up to whom I entrust it to.<\/p>\n
“I think it’s going to take some time. We’ve got to make sure we find the right people to take this football club and take it to the next level.”<\/p>\n
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Alexandre Pato is best known for his time at AC Milan (Image: Claudio Villa\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
After retiring, Pato entered the media and works as a commentator and pundit, but recently he has also been focusing on networking, such as attending the FIFA Club Management Summit. Surprisingly, he would not be the first high-profile player to invest in the club after Luka Modric became involved in Swansea City’s ownership.<\/p>\n
Colchester’s win over Fleetwood on Saturday leaves them eighth in League Two, three points out of the play-off places. They remain unbeaten in their last six games with four wins and two draws, and are aiming for promotion to League 2 for the 10th consecutive season.<\/p>\n
After the win over Fleetwood, manager Danny Cowley said: “There’s a lot of challenges leading up to the game, but also during the game. So I think it’s a credit to the group’s resilience and determination to find a way to win.”<\/p>\n
“We can’t think about anything other than the game here and now. We’re trying to live in the moment and focus on what’s in front of us.”<\/p>\n
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