Alexandre Pato is part of a consortium that is planning a shock takeover of League Two club Colchester United.
Colchester confirmed that Pato, 36, was in attendance at the U’s last game against Fleetwood Town over the weekend.
BBC Sport report that the ex-Brazil international was a guest of Colchester’s current owner Robbie Cowling, with a takeover deal including the former AC Milan forward thought to be ‘possible’.
Colchester had been the subject of a previous takeover attempt by the US consortium Lightwell Sports Group, but talks collapsed in June 2025.
The fourth-tier outfit were put up for sale once more in September, but Cowling admitted in December that he did not know when a takeover could be completed.
The process is being overseen by Mitchell B Reiss, an American consultant, who is acting on behalf of the Essex club.
"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," Cowling 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 earned 27 senior caps for his country during his player career, which ended in 2023 after a final stint at Sao Paulo. In those 27 games, he scored 10 goals.
He joined Chelsea on loan from Corinthians in January 2016, but played just two games for the Blues. He scored on his debut away at Aston Villa, netting a penalty in a 4-0 win.
Now, Colchester are in the play-off hunt in League Two, sat in eighth place, and three points off the top seven.
Danny Cowley, the former Portsmouth manager, has led them to six games unbeaten.
