Tyson Fury and Zlatan Ibrahimovic are reportedly planning to buy non-league Morecambe FC, according to a report from The Sun. The two iconic sportsmen are said to be following the blueprint set by Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, who transformed Wrexham from a non-league club into a Championship contender.
The former heavyweight champion and the Swedish football legend have been friends for years, ever since Ibrahimovic played for Manchester United and would train at the same gym as Fury. Ibrahimovic, who retired from professional football in 2023, already has experience in club ownership, having bought a significant stake in Swedish side Hammarby in 2019.
Morecambe, which is Fury's local club, currently plays in the National League North after suffering back-to-back relegations. The Shrimps finished 22nd in the National League this season, winning only nine of 46 league games and conceding 103 goals, the highest in the division. This marks a rapid decline for a club that was in League One as recently as the 2022/23 season and has faced severe financial difficulties.
The report suggests that Fury and Ibrahimovic plan to document their journey with a Netflix documentary tentatively titled 'Rise of Morecambe'. A source told The Sun that the duo wants to emulate the Wrexham model, which has seen the Welsh club rise through the leagues with significant investment and global media attention.
This is not the first time Fury has been linked with buying Morecambe. In October 2022, he revealed that he had been offered the club, telling talkSPORT: 'I've been offered to buy Morecambe. I own the training facilities and gym. So who knows? So I was thinking I invest X amount of millions in them. Basically throw it at them and keep them going up.'
Fury and Ibrahimovic join a growing list of celebrities investing in English football clubs. American football star Tom Brady has invested in Birmingham City, while Gary Neville and David Beckham are part-owners of Salford City, who are currently competing in the League Two play-off final. The trend has brought significant attention and investment to lower-league clubs, with Wrexham's success under Reynolds and McElhenney serving as a prime example.
For Morecambe, the potential takeover could provide a much-needed financial boost and a pathway back up the football pyramid. The club has struggled financially in recent years, and the involvement of high-profile owners like Fury and Ibrahimovic could attract sponsorship, media deals, and new fans.
Ibrahimovic, who had a stellar career playing for clubs such as Barcelona, Inter Milan, Juventus, Paris Saint-Germain, Ajax, and Manchester United, and earning 122 caps for Sweden, brings experience in club ownership. His involvement with Hammarby has seen the club grow in stature, and he could apply similar strategies at Morecambe.
Fury, a former heavyweight champion known for his charismatic personality, has a strong connection to Morecambe, where he already owns a gym. His local ties and passion for the club could drive the project forward. The duo's partnership promises to bring a unique blend of sporting expertise and entertainment value to the non-league club.
As the story develops, fans of Morecambe and football enthusiasts will be watching closely to see if Fury and Ibrahimovic can replicate the magic that has transformed Wrexham into a global phenomenon.
