American rapper A$AP Rocky is edging closer to sealing the deal on acquiring English football club Tranmere Rovers after the rap star was cleared of felony assault charges. The artist, whose real name is Rakim Athelaston Mayers, had been linked with an investment group keen on buying the League Two side. However, the bid suffered a setback when the 36 year old faced two felony counts of assault following a confrontation involving a semi-automatic weapon with his ex-pal, A$AP Relli, in Hollywood back in 2021.
But with A$AP Rocky recently being acquitted and declared not guilty, it looks like the Tranmere Rovers acquisition is firmly back in play, set to progress imminently. "Thank y'all for saving my life," A$AP Rocky gratefully expressed to the jury upon his acquittal in Los Angeles, adding "You're making the right decision.".
On the night before his trial, A$AP Rocky turned down a plea deal from the prosecution, which involved a six-month jail term plus probation, insisting on his innocence while his partner, global superstar Rihanna, supported him from the courtroom. The consortium that includes the rapper is believed to be closing in on an 80% share purchase of Tranmere, worth around $15 million, taking over from current proprietors Mark and Nicola Palios. Despite the expected change in majority ownership, Tranmere's Indonesian backers, Santini Group, are anticipated to hold onto their stake and stick around at Prenton Park even post-takeover, reports.
Tranmere Rovers are currently languishing in 22nd place in League Two, the fourth tier of English football. The club will surely be looking to emulate Wrexham AFC's success story. The latter was bought by Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney and has since ascended from the National League to League One.
Reynolds and McElhenney have leveraged their celebrity status to raise the profile of the club and its locale, primarily through the hit Disney+ documentary 'Welcome to Wrexham'. The Red Dragons have also embarked on preseason tours to the United States, and they've played host to a slew of celebrities including David Beckham, Will Ferrell, Hugh Jackman, and King Charles III. Wrexham, which has become one of the most followed and beloved football clubs in the United States, is currently third in the race for promotion to the Championship.
ASAP Rocky's name has been linked with the takeover at Tranmere by Donald Trump’s former lawyer Joe Tacopina, who has previously been involved at Roma, Bologna and Venezia before buying Serie C side SPAL. However, Tacopina’s latest ownership vehicle has not been without issues and he was suspended for three months last year for a late payment violation by the Italian club and the subsequent investigation into that has probably resulted in more of a delay in progressing his plans for Tranmere.
The consortium is looking to buy an 80 per-cent share, worth £15million, with Indonesian investors Santini Group set to keep its minority stake at Prenton Park. In October Tranmere chairman Mark Palios suggested ASAPRocky’s involvement would bring a sprinkling of stardust to the club but was not essential.
"At the end of the day, whether he brings ASAP Rocky in or not is down to him," he said. "It’s the type of thing I think would enhance his consortium because they can add value to the commercial side. ASAP’s (partner) is, of course, Rihanna.". Like this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Threads.
