Alexandre Pato, who played for Chelsea in the 2015/16 season, announced that a consortium which includes the ex Chelsea man have taken a 70 per cent sharehold in the League Two side Northampton Town.
Sports Alpha Capital (SAC) acquired the shareholding, with the side announcing it on Wednesday, which was approved by the Independent Football Regulator, as well as the EFL. Pato is set to join the board as a director.
Existing owners David Bower, Nigel Le Quesne and Kelvin Thomas will collectively retain a 30% shareholding, and Kelvin Thomas is set to step down as chairman, a role that he has held for more than a decade.
This news led to the announcement that Northampton would be debt-free after a pre-tax loss of just under £3 million in April 2026.
Pato, who joined in January on a six-month loan from Corinthians, made only two appearances for the Blues, scoring one goal against Aston Villa in a 4-0 win. When joining Chelsea, Pato said.
""I am so happy to sign for Chelsea. It is a dream for me. I am looking forward to meeting and getting to know my new team-mates and cannot wait to play.""
After retiring from football in 2025, Pato became an investor and board member at SAC, with the new shareholders attending Northampton's 1-0 win over Newport County, where they met manager Stuart Hogg and the players.
The Cobblers finished bottom of League One last season; as for this season, they sit 22nd in the fourth division, with their only win in their opening seven games coming against Newport, which the new shareholders attended. (Maybe a good luck charm?)
Sports Alpha Capital was previously in discussions about taking over Colchester United earlier this year but decided to pull out of a potential deal following initial talks.
The new co-chairmen said, “We are delighted to have completed our investment in Northampton Town Football Club and are extremely proud to become custodians of a club with such a rich history, passionate supporter base and important place within its community."
Add us as a preferred source on Google