Stormzy and footballer Wilfried Zaha are set to buy AFC Croydon.
The musician and forward player – who both grew up in the south London borough – have agreed a deal to acquire non-league club AFC Croydon, according to reports.
Both are also part of a three-man consortium alongside former Crystal Palace head of player care, Danny Young, and the Croydon team to compete in the ninth tier of English football.
The team was founded in 2012 after Croydon Athletic folded. Speaking of the new agreement, they said (via BBC Sport): “The consortium will own, operate and develop their childhood hometown football club. Whilst completion is subject to legislative and governance procedures, the three consortium members are excited about developing a community asset in the borough that gave them their own opportunities.”
They continued, adding: “They hope to take the entire community on this exciting journey with them.”
Stormzy was born in Croydon and has won three Brit Awards for his prolific music career. A Manchester United supporter, the rapper also participated in the recent 2023 edition of Soccer Aid as the manager of the England team.
Zaha began his footballing career at Crystal Palace before joining Manchester United in 2013. The following year he made the move to rejoin Palace on a season-long loan, which was later made permanent in 2015.
Since then Zaha has won two England caps before switching his footballing allegiance to the Ivory Coast and going on to win 31 caps for his country of birth.
Announcing the decision on social media, he tweeted: “May the journey begin.”
In other Stormzy news, last week the rapper confirmed that he was working on new music.
“I think even going forward with other albums, and new music, it’s like, ‘Just always trust yourself, back yourself to be brave, and be confident with your musical decisions, and carry on being free, and carry on being the cowboy and carry on just going into whatever musical terrain or musical experience that you want to do,” he said in a recent interview.
“When I’m making music, it’s always super deep, but it’s never that deep. I can’t explain it, it’s deep because I take music so seriously, and it’s my craft and it’s my passion,” he added. “I promise you, I’ll just go to the studio and however I feel that day, that’s what I do. I try not to be super premeditated.”