Alexandre Pato consortium agrees deal with EFL club as official statement released

· Mirror

Northampton Town are set for fresh backing after striking an agreement with Sports Alpha Capital - the consortium featuring ex‑Chelsea star Alexandre Pato.

Northampton Town have confirmed they have reached an agreement with consortium Sports Alpha Capital (SAC), which former Chelsea and Brazil forward Alexandre Pato is part of. The UK/Brazilian investment group is involved in a 'proposed shareholding acquisition' in the League Two club.

Chairman Kelvin Thomas confirmed: "As we always said, we will keep supporters updated as we progress and we are pleased that we have finalised agreements and now move to closing. 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.

> "We all saw the excitement and enthusiasm from both the supporters and Sports Alpha themselves when Pato and others from the group were at the Newport game, and we think that excitement will just build."

Joao Xavier, founding partner at Sports Alpha Capital, added: "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."

On behalf of the investors, Hugh Strange concluded: "All the investors are very excited about the opportunity to build on the excellent foundations in place to take the club forward and are looking forward to enjoying more days like the Newport game together with the supporters."

The takeover comes just a few months after SAC pulled out of a proposed deal with League Two side Colchester United. The London‑based independent investment management firm Gemcorp Capital is also listed among the investors involved in the consortium.

Pato retired from professional football three years ago and is now set to take the next step in his football career. He is best remembered for his five‑and‑a‑half‑year spell at AC Milan, where he scored 63 goals in 150 appearances and won the Serie A title in the 2010/11 season.

The Brazilian also played for Internacional, Corinthians and Sao Paulo, as well as Villarreal, Orlando City and Chelsea, where he spent a brief loan spell in 2016.

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