Former Tottenham Hotspur star Gareth Bale is reportedly in line to be the face of a United States-based takeover of English Football League side Plymouth Argyle.
Bale, who featured for Spurs between 2007 and 2013 then again in a homecoming loan spell in the 2020/21 season, retired from the sport two years ago.
He has since taken up occasional punditry opportunities but now, as The Telegraph report, the 35-year-old is set to be the surprise face of a takeover bid of The Pilgrims.
They explain how several sources close to the ongoing talks confirm a US private equity group partnering with Bale is currently in talks not only for a small stake, but full control at Home Park.
Argyle chairman Simon Hallett, who first invested back in 2016, has been looking for fresh investment in the club for at least a year.
He had agreed in principle to sell a stake of the club though that deal fell through last month, now Bale and his US partners have been able to swoop in.
It is unclear how the former Spurs star has become involved in this potential new takeover bid as he has no past connection to Plymouth, though it has been common practice of late for US-based groups to align themselves with huge names in sport.
Most recently, Bale’s former teammate at what was then White Hart Lane, Luka Modric, partnered with a rival US investment team to become a co-owner of Swansea City in the Championship.
Promoted to that division last season, American Football legend Tom Brady has become a co-owner of Birmingham City.
But at the time of Bale’s proposed involvement in a takeover of Argyle, they are headed back down to League One having finished bottom of the second tier last season.
To begin the 2024/25 campaign, Wayne Rooney was appointed manager. The England and Manchester United legend lost 13 of his 23 league matches in charge before being sacked on New Years Eve last year.
His replacement Miron Muslic was unsuccessful in his rescue mission but inspired confidence he was the correct man for the long-term, then ended up a frosty exit to German club Schalke 04.
Former Premier League midfielder Tom Cleverley has subsequently been placed in charge after he was let go by Watford at the end of the recent season.
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