A consortium, which includes former Brazil international Alexandre Pato, is reportedly set to acquire a majority stake in League Two club Northampton Town. Sports Alpha Capital, previously in talks for Colchester United, is understood to be the group involved, with Pato participating but not leading the bid.

Pato, known for his stints at AC Milan and Chelsea, retired from playing last year. The deal follows confirmation from Northampton chairman Kelvin Thomas last month that a "well-funded" group's investment was "pretty much agreed". The club suffered relegation to League Two last season and reported a pre-tax loss nearing £3m, with the proposed investment aiming to make the club debt-free.

Northampton, also known as The Cobblers, have appointed Chris Hogg as manager and signed seven new players this transfer window. This potential takeover marks a significant development for the club as it prepares for life in the fourth tier.