Pato consortium interested in Colchester takeover

Former AC Milan and Brazil forward Alexandre Pato is a member of a consortium interested in taking over Colchester United.

The League Two club confirmed the 36-year-old attended Saturday's home game against Fleetwood Town as a guest of current owner Robbie Cowling.

BBC Sport has been told that that a deal is "possible" but it is not thought any announcement is imminent.

Talks with the US-based Lightwell Sports Group, headed by Tom Foley, collapsed in June last year.

The sale process was reopened in September but Cowling said last month that he could not put any timescale on how long it might take to conclude a deal.

"We've got some interested parties. We're not interested in people unless they've got the wealth to take the club on much further than myself," he told BBC Essex.

"There is no timescale, the line has to be that I hand it on to the right person - it's a bit like you looking for someone to adopt your child, you've got to vet them."

Pato scored 10 goals in 27 appearances for Brazil and represented his country at the 2012 Olympics in London, receiving a silver medal after they lost to Mexico in the final at Wembley.

He returned to the city four years later for a loan spell at Chelsea but only played twice for the Blues.

In 2023 he signed for Sao Paulo but retired from playing at the start of last year.

His consortium's interest in Colchester comes at a time when the team are doing well on the pitch under boss Danny Cowley.

They are unbeaten in six games, winning the past three, and are eighth in the table, just three points outside the play-off places as they look to return to the third tier of English football for the first time since 2016.

The takeover is being overseen by American consultant Mitchell B Reiss on behalf of the club.