Classy Leeds? Will Ferrell reportedly joins celebrity investors at football club
Will Ferrell is reportedly set to become the latest celebrity to be a minority investor in Championship football club Leeds United.
Hollywood actor Ferrell has bought a stake in Leeds owner 49ers Enterprises report in the Sun newspaper. He will join fellow stage actor Russell Crowe, Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps and professional golfers Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas.
Ferrell, best known for comedic roles in films such as Anchorman, Elf and Zoolander, is co-owner of Major League Soccer side Los Angeles FC. He revealed he was a big fan of English football during a trip to watch Manchester City’s 3-1 win over Aston Villa last season.
The 56-year-old also saw Wrexham beat Wealdstone in a National League match on the same trip. The Welsh club has been revived under the leadership of American actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, earning back-to-back promotions to secure a place in League One next season.
Leeds missed out on automatic promotion to the Premier League on the final day of the Championship regular season. Their 2-1 home defeat to Southampton was ultimately academic, as Ipswich guaranteed second place in the final table with a 2-0 home win over Huddersfield.
Daniel Farke’s side still have the chance to return straight to the top a year after relegation by winning the play-offs. They face Farke’s former side, Norwich City, in the first leg of their semi-final at Carrow Road next Sunday.
During his previous visit to the Etihad Stadium, Will Ferrell struck up a friendship with Manchester City player Jack Grealish. He posted selfies next to his childhood Aston Villa fan and then made an eerily prescient prediction.
āGreat to meet my new British friend Jack Grealish at the Etihad today,ā said Ferrell. āHe told me to buy Birmingham City and get them relegated to League Two.ā The Blues have since been taken over by American owners and found themselves in League One despite a final day win over Norwich.