American rapper A$AP Rocky is reportedly set to buy English Football League club Tranmere Rovers in a surprise £15 million deal, as part of an investment group led by celebrity lawyer Joe Tacopina.
The 36-year-old artist, who is in a relationship with pop star Rihanna, is said to be involved in the bid organized by Tacopina, who has previously represented Donald Trump.
Reports indicate that Tacopina has been negotiating with the League Two club for more than six months to secure an 80% stake, with a possible deal drawing nigh by the day.
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As per a Daily Mail report, the deal is pending approval from the EFL, and once it gets finalized, Rocky will be expected to attend games at Tranmere’s Prenton Park stadium.
The Sun on Sunday’s Bizarre column quoted a source that touched on Rocky’s future contribution to football games in England and said: “Rocky is tight with Joe and has committed to the Tranmere bid.
Joe has been to Tranmere matches, and Rocky has plans to go over too after the deal is completed. We may even see Rihanna watching League Two football.”
Reports also suggest that a documentary similar to the Disney+ series “Welcome to Wrexham” could also be on the cards in months to come.
The series followed the purchase of Welsh club Wrexham by actors Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds, and their efforts to elevate the team into League One.
Tacopina reportedly sees Tranmere as undervalued and hopes that celebrity involvement could bring similar success.
“Joe thinks Tranmere, who is a famous club near Liverpool is undervalued and that by clever marketing and celebrity endorsement he can transform it,” the source added. “With the likes of Rocky on board, maybe so.”
A$AP Rocky, who is originally known as Rakim Mayers, shares two children with Rihanna in two-year-old RZA, and 15-month-old Riot Rose. His partnership with Tacopina is set to prove vital for the deal as the lawyer has got quite a great track record of involvement in football club ownership, particularly in Italy.
Back in 2011, he was part of the U.S. group that purchased Serie A club AS Roma before moving on to buy Bologna in 2014.
A year later, he then acquired Venezia and helped them rise from the fourth tier to Serie B, and earned a historic knighthood from the city.
His most recent purchase, SPAL, faced relegation to the third tier in the 2023/24 season and also began this campaign with a three-point penalty for missed tax payments.
Tacopina was then also suspended for three months as a result. The Tranmere takeover is seen as Tacopina’s latest venture into football, and with celebrity backing this time around, he is aiming to revitalize the historic club and take it to an even greater level.
