The rap icon, who previously expressed interest in Arsenal, is now keeping an eye on Tottenham.
Music mogul Jay-Z is preparing to bid for Tottenham Hotspur if the club’s owner is convicted of fraud and insider trading, aa close business associate has told Daily Express US.
The rap icon, 53, who is worth in excess of £1.95billion, is backed by a group of US investors who are waiting in the wings to learn the fate of Spurs supremo Joe Lewis.
The move comes 13 years after Jay-Z expressed interest in becoming a major investor in North London rivals Arsenal.
He revealed he had become a huge fan of the team then led by his favourite player, Thierry Henry.
That bid fell flat – but Jay-Z, already a joint-owner of top NBA basketball team New Jersey Nets, insisted at the time: “I don’t know a lot about the business of soccer but in future, if the right opportunity presented itself, then who knows?”
His associate said the hip-hop billionaire, whose wife Beyoncé has a personal fortune estimated at £420million, is still – in the words of their hit – Crazy in Love with England’s “beautiful game”.
They said: “More than a few of the very top clubs there – like Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea – are now under US ownership and Jay would jump at the chance of a controlling interest at board level somewhere with the global reach of Spurs.
“It remains to be seen whether Mr Lewis will walk away free. If he doesn’t, Jay has said he wants to be in a position to move quickly if he feels the price is right.” Spurs’ estimated market value has risen slightly this year to £2.18billion – a sum well within reach for Jay-Z, whose real name is Shawn Carter.
His associate added: “He believes this is achievable, especially with the backing of fellow investors.”
