Huge US rap artist set for controlling stake in UK club with Premier League ref connection

A consortium that includes huge US rapper and Rihanna’s boyfriend, A$AP Rocky, look set to take over English League Two club Tranmere Rovers.

It’s one of the stranger football and showbiz crossovers, though Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have shown that with the right amount of investment, passion and willingness to defer to the experts, supposed minnows – in their case Wrexham – can become a true success story.

Tranmere Rovers set to be taken over by A$AP Rocky and others

Though it isn’t clear if the rise of the Welsh club has anything to do with A$AP Rocky’s decision to become part of a consortium led by celebrity lawyer Joe Tacopina, The Sun suggest that once the takeover goes through, they will try to produce a documentary similar to the ‘Welcome to Wrexham’ series that has been so successful for their contemporaries.

Ex-Premier League ref, Mike Dean, will almost certainly be delighted at the development, given how fervent his support of Tranmere is.

A video of him celebrating Tranmere reaching the Play-Off final a few years ago remains a viral moment to put a smile on everyone’s face.

?? – MIKE DEAN AND TRANMERE ARE HEADING TO WEMBLEY!

The Premier League referee cannot hide his excitement at The New Lawn as his side secure their place in the play-off final! ? pic.twitter.com/ZCrOur7xbn

— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) May 13, 2019

The Sun’s report suggests that the League Two outfit, once owned by the Football Association’s Mark Palios, is set to be available for as little as £15m.

Though it will take plenty of further investment and a particular type of knowledge in order for the investors to be able to see a return on their money, if the takeover can come anywhere close to matching Wrexham’s success, A$AP Rocky et al will almost certainly be happy.

From a neutral’s perspective, it will be interesting to see how far Tranmere can be taken, both on and off the pitch.

It’s clear that players who can do the business on the pitch need to be acquired, however, it’s the commercial nous of the backers that will ultimately propel them to a worldwide audience.