Joe Tacopina, a former lawyer to ex-U.S. President Donald Trump and pop superstar Michael Jackson, is reportedly eyeing a Ryan Reynolds-style takeover at Tranmere Rovers
Joe Tacopina, the former lawyer to ex-U. S. President Donald Trump and pop icon Michael Jackson, is reportedly planning a takeover of Tranmere Rovers, similar to Ryan Reynolds ‘ at Wrexham.
Reynolds, the Hollywood actor, along with co-chairman Rob McElhenney, have transformed the Red Dragons from a non-league team to a club with a global cult following. Now playing in the EFL’s third tier for the first time in two decades, Wrexham’s rise is undeniable.
Inspired by the groundbreaking work done by the celebrity duo at the Racecourse Ground, Tacopina, a former New York prosecutor, is said to be considering a similar project with one of Wrexham’s oldest rivals. Tranmere, located just over the border in north-west England, has always been overshadowed by neighbouring football giants Liverpool and Everton.
However, Tacopina has reportedly been in discussions throughout this year about potentially orchestrating a dramatic takeover of the League Two side. According to The Athletic, his bid is now only awaiting regulatory approval from the English Football League (EFL).
The Wirral-based club, Tranmere Rovers, is currently under the ownership of former Football Association chief executive Mark Palios and his wife Nicola. They’ve been at the helm since 2014, with interest from lawyer Tacopina first surfacing when he attended a Tranmere match in April.
Tacopina, who has previously represented ex-MLB star Alex Rodriguez and musician A$AP Rocky, was part of Trump’s legal team as recently as January. He’s no stranger to football either, having been part of a consortium that purchased AS Roma in 2011, before selling it and buying Bologna in 2014.
He later bought Venezia, helping the team climb two divisions up to the second tier of Italian football. After selling in 2020, he purchased SPAL the following year – a tenure marked by a three-month suspension due to missed tax payments.
According to The Athletic, Tranmere Rovers have not commented on the potential takeover. It remains to be seen if and when a buyout at Prenton Park will occur, pending approval from the EFL.
Should the deal go through, it’s reported that Tacopina plans to leverage his celebrity status to draw more attention to Rovers as he aims to elevate their league standing. Furthermore, a new home for the historic club could be on the horizon in the next few years if the takeover gets the green light.
