Pato Set to Buy Stake in League Two Club as Owner! The World’s 11th Richest Footballer, His £110 Million Fortune Is Just a Fraction

Brazilian forward Alexandre Pato, despite having a modest spell in the Premier League, has continued to attract attention for his activities off the pitch. He is now in talks to acquire a stake in an English Football League club. During his loan spell at Chelsea, Pato made only two appearances and scored one goal. However, the Brazilian forward has once again become a focus of English football: he is expected to become a major shareholder of League Two club Northampton. Pato's investment group Sports Alpha Capital previously attempted to acquire another League Two club, Colchester United, but eventually withdrew.

Last Saturday, Pato appeared at Sixfields Stadium to watch Northampton's 1-0 victory over Newport County. Negotiations are still ongoing. Although his performances at Chelsea failed to make a strong impression, Northampton's "Cobblers" supporters may hope that the wealthy businessman can bring new energy to the club. Pato, who has just turned 37, was once regarded as one of the most promising young players in world football. Because his Portuguese surname "Pato" means "duck," he was given the nickname "The Duck." As a teenager, he impressed at Internacional and won the Club World Cup with the team, which helped him earn a move to Italian giants AC Milan at a young age.

Pato's career nearly ended much earlier. At the age of 11, he was found to have a tumor on his arm and faced the possibility of amputation. After successful surgery, he returned to football and scored on his AC Milan debut at the age of 17. In Italy, Pato won the Golden Boy award and the Serie A Young Player of the Year award. His goals helped AC Milan win the Serie A title in 2011. However, injuries continued to trouble him, and he eventually returned to Brazil, playing for Corinthians and Sao Paulo. In 2016, during Dutch coach Guus Hiddink's second spell in charge of Chelsea, Pato joined the club on loan.

At the time of signing, Pato said: "I am very happy to join Chelsea. This is a dream for me. I am looking forward to meeting and getting to know my new teammates, and I cannot wait to play." He came on as a substitute for the injured Loic Remy in an away match against Aston Villa. In first-half stoppage time, he won a penalty and converted it himself, helping Chelsea score their second goal in a 4-0 victory. This was also his only goal during his brief spell at Chelsea.

Pato's career has taken him across many countries. He played for Villarreal in Spain, a team in Asia, Orlando City in Major League Soccer, and returned to Sao Paulo twice. According to Planet Football's estimate, his current net worth is around £110 million, ranking him as the 11th richest footballer in the world.

Most of Pato's wealth comes from investments, extensive real estate holdings, and endorsement agreements with the CoverGirl cosmetics brand. The forward also owns a hamburger chain in Brasilia, a vodka brand, and a fashion line.

Author: Alan Flanagan