Arsenal legend Dennis Bergkamp has teamed up with several Dutch legends to form a consortium, looking to buy an English football club.
There is a growing belief that many clubs will be up for sale in the near future, given the worrying prospect of huge financial losses brought on by the pandemic-enforced shutdown of sport.
The Mirror reports that Bergkamp wants to take ownership of a team, having not been involved in the sport since leaving the coaching set-up at Ajax back in December 2017.
The Arsenal legend has teamed up with former Liverpool forward Dirk Kuyt, Derby County manager Phillip Cocu, current Holland boss Ronald Koeman, and Celtic legend Henrik Larsson. The project is currently coordinated on the business end by Rob Jansen, an executive at Wasserman Media Group - who are reported to be the second largest sports agency, valued at an estimated £3.2bn.
Jansen has represented all five men during their playing careers and remains an influential figure in the game today.
The agent recently revealed the group are currently waiting to see what happens, before making a move.
As quoted by the Mirror, he said: “We are in the waiting room, as we call it. In this crisis, the asking price of some clubs will be lowered. At the same time the internal struggles at these clubs will get bigger.”
It's reported that Bergkamp himself is keen for a hands-on role at any potential side, wanting to manage the entire structure, with an emphasis on creating a pathway for young players from the academy to the first team.
Jansen also mentioned that the group had previously come close to taking over a club, before being beaten out in the end, adding: “Recently we were very close to a deal. I am not going to say now which club that was, but at the very last moment we were beaten by a foreign investor. That was very disappointing.”
Though the Dutchman didn't reveal the identity of the team, it was revealed in October 2019 by The Athletic that the club in question was League One side Wycombe Wanderers, whose majority owner is American businessman Rob Couhig and are currently eighth in the table.
Source : 90min