Telegraph: Bell joins Plymouth acquisition with US private equity firm

June 16, According to the British media Daily Telegraph, Gareth Bell has been arranged to lead a private equity company headquartered in the United States and may acquire the Plymouth Club.

Bell's unexpected intervention occurred after a competing American investment group worked with Modric in Swansea. Negotiations between Plymouth and the investment group are underway, which also includes the U.S.-based Storch family.

Bell has no historical connection with Plymouth, and it was unexpected that he intervened as a co-owner. However, in recent years, U.S. groups have increasingly sought to work with celebrities to add a star effect to the purchase of clubs below the English top league.

Before Modric joined the acquisition of Swansea shares, NFL superstar Tom Brady became the co-owner of Birmingham. American golfers Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas also bought their shares before Leeds United returns to the Premier League.

Several sources close to the negotiations confirmed that a US private equity firm that works with Bell is currently negotiating for a full acquisition of Plymouth.

Plymouth President Simon Harlett has been seeking new investment from the club for at least a year. Harlett, who first invested in the club in 2016 and became a major shareholder two years later, had agreed in principle to sell the club's shares to new investors, but he confirmed the deal was miscarriage last month.

Plymouth was relegated from the Champions League in May and they ranked 23rd in the second division. With head coach Miron Music joining German team Schalke 04, Harlett appointed former Watford coach Tom Clevily to replace him last week, and both sides signed a three-year contract. The acquisition led by Bell came after Harlett announced a miscarriage of a previous investment proposal.