Music mogul Jay-Z is getting ready to bid for Tottenham Hotspur if the membership’s proprietor is convicted of fraud and insider buying and selling, aa shut enterprise affiliate has advised Daily Express US.

The rap icon, 53, who's value in extra of £1.95billion, is backed by a gaggle of US traders who're ready within the wings to study the destiny of Spurs supremo Joe Lewis.

The transfer comes 13 years after Jay-Z expressed curiosity in turning into a significant investor in North London rivals Arsenal.

He revealed he had grow to be an enormous fan of the group then led by his favorite participant, Thierry Henry.

That bid fell flat – however Jay-Z, already a joint-owner of high NBA basketball group New Jersey Nets, insisted on 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 affiliate mentioned the hip-hop billionaire, whose spouse Beyoncé has a private fortune estimated at £420million, continues to be – within the phrases of their hit – Crazy in Love with England’s “beautiful game”.

They mentioned: “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 worth has risen barely this 12 months to £2.18billion – a sum effectively inside attain for Jay-Z, whose actual identify is Shawn Carter.

His affiliate added: “He believes this is achievable, especially with the backing of fellow investors.”

Mr Lewis, 86, who was born above a pub in East London and amassed a fortune of greater than £5billion from foreign money buying and selling, appeared in a New York court docket final week to disclaim 16 counts of securities fraud and three additional conspiracy fees referring to alleged “insider trading” offences between 2013 and 2021.

The fees every carry a most sentence of between 5 and 25 years in jail.

US lawyer Damian Williams advised the court docket: “He used inside information as a way to compensate his employees or shower gifts on his friends and lovers.”

Mr Lewis was launched on bail and is more likely to face trial later this 12 months.

Spokespeople for him and for Jay-Z declined to touch upon the way forward for Spurs’ possession.