Pato-backed consortium completes Northampton Town takeover

Northampton Town's takeover by Sports Alpha Capital, a consortium that includes former Brazil forward Alexandre Pato, has been completed, BBC Sport reported. The League Two club said the transaction would leave it debt-free, following the announcement in April 2026 of a pre-tax loss of just under £3 million.

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The ownership change is structured through Northampton Town Ventures Limited, which holds most of the shares in the football club. Sports Alpha Capital will own 70% of that company. David Bower, Nigel Le Quesne and Kelvin Thomas, the existing owners, will together retain the remaining 30% stake.

The deal had already secured approval from the Independent Football Regulator and the English Football League earlier in September. Completion follows a separate announcement that the parties had reached formal agreement, with the regulatory clearance and contractual agreement preceding the final transfer of ownership.

In its earlier reporting on the agreement, BBC Sport said Northampton had expected completion the following week. Chairman Thomas acknowledged at that stage that football club transactions could take longer than hoped because of their complexity, while SAC founding partner Joao Xavier welcomed agreement as another important step after regulatory approval.

SAC's interest in Northampton followed discussions about a possible takeover of Colchester United earlier this year. The group withdrew from that process after initial talks, according to the BBC. Its named investors include Pato and Gemcorp Capital, an independent investment management business based in London.

Pato, 37, retired from professional football last year. The former AC Milan and Chelsea player spent five and a half years with Milan, scoring 63 goals across 150 appearances and helping the Italian club win the Serie A title in the 2010-11 season, BBC Sport reported.

Following completion, founding partners Xavier and Tim Chamberlain said their ambitions for Northampton would be guided by sustainability and the club's local importance. They pledged to engage with supporters, staff, the Community Trust and local partners as part of a long-term commitment. More information about their plans is still to follow.