Alexandre Pato-backed consortium nears Northampton Town stake

A former star of San Siro and Stamford Bridge is edging towards the English fourth tier. Northampton Town have confirmed they have reached agreement with a consortium that includes Alexandre Pato over a proposed shareholding acquisition in the League Two club.

The group, Sports Alpha Capital (SAC), has already cleared the key hurdles. Its proposed deal with the Cobblers won approval from both the Independent Football Regulator (IFR) and the English Football League (EFL) earlier this month, removing the biggest regulatory obstacles in one sweep.

Now the finish line is in sight.

In a statement, Northampton said they expect to be “in a position to confirm completion of the process” next week, signalling that only the final legal and financial details remain.

Chairman Kelvin Thomas acknowledged the complexity of the process but welcomed the progress, saying football club transactions “always have many moving parts and often take a little longer than you would hope, but we are thrilled to be moving forward.”

The sentiment was echoed on the investors’ side. Joao Xavier, founding partner at Sports Alpha Capital, called it a significant step, stating: “We are very happy to have reached formal agreements. Obviously obtaining IFR and EFL approvals was a big step, but this is also a very important milestone, and we look forward to closing next week.”

SAC are not strangers to the lower reaches of the English pyramid. Earlier this year they held talks over a potential takeover of Colchester United, only to walk away after initial discussions. This time, the talks have gone the distance.

The exact size of SAC’s proposed shareholding in Northampton Town has not been disclosed, leaving open the question of how much influence the consortium will wield in the boardroom once the deal is completed.

What is clear is the headline name attached to the project. Pato, listed by SAC as one of its investors alongside Gemcorp Capital, a London-based independent investment management firm, brings global recognition and a marquee profile to a club more accustomed to the grind of League Two than the glare of the Champions League.

Now 37 and retired from playing since last year, Pato built his reputation in a glittering five-and-a-half-year spell at AC Milan, where he scored 63 goals in 150 appearances and helped the Rossoneri to the Serie A title in the 2010-11 season. His presence in the consortium instantly changes the way Northampton are perceived outside their own patch.

For Cobblers supporters, the intrigue lies in what comes next: how this new capital and high-profile backing might shape a club fighting for progress in one of English football’s most unforgiving divisions.